Mr. Xoan is a quadriplegic and lives in a dilapidated house.

Following the winding alley, the green mossy yard interspersed with patches of wild grass, we arrived at Mr. Xoan’s house on an early spring morning. In the house built more than 20 years ago, the most valuable assets are the table and chairs and the rickety, faded wooden altar. There is a window that has not been fitted with a door yet, allowing the rain and wind to blow in, blowing all the cold outside into the house where Mr. Xoan is alone to fight the harsh weather.

Mr. Xoan sat motionless in his old wheelchair, his eyes staring into the distance. Next to his chair was an altar with a portrait of his wife who had passed away nearly 20 years ago, leaving behind him and his two sons who were still in school at the time.

Living as a single father raising his children, the man from Do Trung village worked hard every day, not minding the hard work, traveling everywhere to find work to earn money to raise his children. But ironically, in 2002, while driving a truck carrying goods, Mr. Xoan had an accident that caused serious injuries that required long-term treatment at Viet Duc Hospital (Hanoi). After the accident, he suffered a cervical spine injury, paralysis of all four limbs, urinary incontinence and many other sequelae.

Mr. Xoan's eldest son was helpless because his father was bedridden and could only sit in one place. He had to work in another province to earn money to support his father and pay for his medicine whenever the weather changed.

The youngest son’s job only depends on a few acres of reclaimed land, so it is also precarious and hard. All the care, cleaning, and feeding of Mr. Xoan is done by his eldest daughter-in-law and youngest son at the end of the day. Many times, he has to wait until he is tired because his children are still busy with unfinished work.

Old age, long-term illness, and frequent loneliness have made Mr. Xoan increasingly weak, his body withered, his cheeks wrinkled and gaunt. Only his eyes are bright, shining with joy when mentioning his children's names. He said: "My family died early, my children also suffered when I had an accident, now they are a burden. I feel most sorry for my youngest son, I don't know when he will be able to pay off the debt to repair the house, get married, and have children!"

Most of the time, struggling to make ends meet and pay for medicine, Mr. Xoan's children cannot take good care of their father's place. The strong smell of urine and mold permeating the house, which is about ten square meters in size, makes anyone who comes here feel sorry. With the worry of paying for every pill and every meal, the task of renovating the house so that Mr. Xoan can have a clean place to live, with closed doors and high walls, avoiding the rain and wind, is unknown when it will be possible.

Mr. Lai Huu Sung, Chairman of the Red Cross Society of Dai Hop Commune, said that Mr. Xoan's situation was really difficult. Every year, organizations also arranged funds to visit and give him gifts to encourage him to maintain an optimistic attitude and believe in life.

"The biggest wish of the locality and family is to have more funds to soon renovate the residence so that his children can conveniently take care of their sick father in his old age. We hope he will receive help from benefactors," said Mr. Sung.

Any help for Mr. Nguyen Xuan Xoan, please send to Tu Ky District Red Cross Society, address: 2 Tay Nguyen Street, Tu Ky Town (Tu Ky). Account number: 2312201001930, Agribank Tu Ky. The transfer content clearly states: Support Mr. Nguyen Xuan Xoan.