Young man with the mission of reviving martyrs' portraits

Mission is born

On New Year's Eve 2021, when the whole country was struggling to cope with the pandemic, a strange message came to Khuat Van Hoang, a student who had just entered university. The sender, with a faint hope, asked him to restore the memorial photo of his relative, a young martyr who had sacrificed his life. The photo was so old and blurred that it was almost unrecognizable, but it was the only keepsake the family still had. Over the years, they searched everywhere, but no photographer dared to accept. Fate brought them to Hoang at the sacred moment of New Year's Eve, the moment between the old year and the new year, when the best things are expected to begin.

Hoang's journey to restore martyrs' portraits began in 2021. Photo: NVCC  

The absolute trust of the martyr’s family ignited a fire of determination in the young man’s heart. He stayed up all night, pouring all his heart into “reviving” the photo that seemed to have faded over the years. When he finished, he sent it back to the family, and received sobs and heartfelt thanks. “They said that this was what they had been thinking about and longing for for so many years,” Hoang recalled, his voice choked up.

Witnessing the overwhelming joy of the martyrs’ families, along with the deep encouragement from family and friends, Hoang realized that this was not just a job, but a sacred mission. “I realized that the Vietnamese Heroic Mothers did not have much time left, and the martyrs’ families had waited too long. I am deeply aware of my responsibility, to try my best, to do as much as possible, to return to them the most complete images of the fallen heroes,” Hoang emotionally shared.

The overwhelming emotion of the martyr's relatives urged him to carry out this mission. Photo: NVCC

And that passion has urged Hoang to embark on the journey of restoring the portrait, the journey of a young person, carrying on his shoulders the faith and hope of many families.

White night "redraws" fragments of memories

The journey to restore the photos is a battle with time and the traces of the past. The photos that came to Hoang were mostly black and white relics that were faded, blurred, and even crumpled. He had to use specialized software, sometimes drawing little by little, meticulously to be able to restore every detail, every line accurately. Not stopping there, he also visited the families of martyrs, listened to stories about their lives and sacrifices, as a way to understand and deeply feel the loss. Because, for him, restoring a photo is not only recreating the form, but also restoring memories, bringing life to the deceased souls.

Mr. Hoang (second from left, pointing) and his colleagues meticulously restore the photo. Photo: THANH THAO

Picking up the memories of his relatives, the sleepless nights, the conversations that lasted all night and day, Hoang has brought thousands of portraits of martyrs back to life. “Each photo is a story, a piece of life. When restoring the photos, time seems to stop, I feel like I am connecting the past with the present, a feeling that is hard to describe,” he said. Even though it is late at night, even though he is tired, just thinking about the moment the photo is handed to his relatives, bringing comfort and soothing the unfinished pain, Hoang is full of energy, rolls up his sleeves and continues his mission.

More than 6,000 photos restored

Right from the first steps of the journey, Hoang and his colleagues have implemented many projects with deep humanity and historical significance. They have restored 10 portraits of 10 female youth volunteers at Dong Loc T-junction, portraits of heroes of the armed forces at the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum, martyrs of the People's Army Cinema... In addition, they have cooperated with the Youth Unions of Hai Duong, Ha Tinh, Phu Yen, Nghe An provinces to carry out large-scale photo restoration projects. "Up to now, we have restored more than 6,000 portraits across the country," Hoang said. This number not only reflects the huge amount of work, but also demonstrates the dedication and enthusiasm of Hoang and his colleagues, who are working day and night to restore the past to its original form.

 

Among them, the project of bringing martyrs back home is the project that Hoang is most passionate about. He always puts all his heart and soul into completing the work in the most perfect way, because he understands that it is not just a photo, but also a part of the soul of the deceased, a connecting thread between the past and the present, between those who sacrificed and those who are still alive. "I want to contribute to their sacred reunion day," he shared.

To date, Hoang and his colleagues have restored more than 6,000 portraits of martyrs. Photo: NVCC

One of the stories that moved Hoang the most was the restoration of the portrait of martyr Dang Thi Kim, commonly known as Dang Thi Oanh. She was the niece of the late General Secretary Truong Chinh (Dang Xuan Khu), a staunch woman who was enlightened about the revolution from her youth and participated in the resistance war. At the age of 19, martyr Dang Thi Kim was a liaison for the revolution, brutally murdered by the enemy while carrying the blood of her husband, the Deputy Secretary of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee (Comrade Truong An, at that time the interim Deputy Secretary - later the Secretary of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee). Her family spent many years searching, and it was not until 2009 that they were able to bring her remains back to their homeland.

“For many years, Uncle Huyen (the younger brother of martyr Dang Thi Kim) carried her portrait everywhere but no one could restore it. She sacrificed herself and left behind a single photo that had faded over the years. When I saw that photo, I was stunned. Before my eyes was the portrait of a very young girl and coincidentally in the photo there was a scratch on her neck… That made me feel so sad. The moment her family received the portrait with tears and hugs became a memory that I will definitely never forget,” Hoang choked up as he recounted.

 

The happiness of the martyr's family is his great motivation. Photo: NVCC

The moment of handing over the restored portraits to the relatives of the heroic martyrs, listening to the confidences and deep feelings of the deceased's family, became a source of motivation and great joy for the young man. Technology can become a powerful tool to help him recreate the character's portrait, but he understands that he must put in all his sincerity, empathy and gratitude for those portraits to be able to "come back to life".

A shining example for the younger generation

At only 21 years old, Khuat Van Hoang’s journey is not only a story of talent, but also a testament to the deep gratitude of the younger generation towards those who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. He has used his talent and heart to “light the fire” to revive heroic portraits, bring comfort to the living and spread good values ​​to the community.

Mr. Hoang always remembers the tradition of "remembering the source of water" and shows gratitude to those who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. Photo: NVCC

“My journey is still long and full of challenges, but I am always steadfast in this mission. As a young person, I am always aware that I must return to my roots and appreciate the sacrifices of our ancestors. I always remember that no matter what job I do, I will contribute my youth to spread good values ​​and be proud to be Vietnamese,” Hoang determined.

Khuat Van Hoang, a simple young man but constantly striving for a noble mission. He is a shining example, inspiring the younger generation about gratitude, dedication and responsibility.

THANH THAO

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/chang-trai-tre-voi-su-menh-hoi-sinh-nhung-di-anh-liet-si-822533