"Godmother" of pain in peacetime

In times of peace, there are still children of martyrs. They share the pain of losing their fathers – soldiers who died to protect the peaceful life of the people.

In a house on a small street corner in Dong Da District, Hanoi, the face of little Dang Tai Tue (born in 2009) - the second child of martyr Dang Anh Quan, Lieutenant Colonel, Captain of the Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue Police Team - Cau Giay District Police (Hanoi), still has a faint sadness.

The love of the "godmother"

Ms. Nguyen Thu Huyen, wife of martyr Dang Anh Quan, choked up and said: “Since the day their father died, both Tue and his brother have talked less, laughed less, and shared less with others. Even though I tried to force myself to be the support for my son, every time I think of him, I still find it hard to control my emotions…”

Martyr Dang Anh Quan's son receives care and attention from his "godmother". (Photo: Cam Ha)

Trying to stay silent for a long time, her tears still did not stop falling, she said: "Anh Quan was an orphan when he was 4 years old. For 25 years he strived to become an excellent Captain in the Police force, supporting his old mother and wife and children both mentally and materially, but he left me and my children forever."

That happened in August 2022, when a fire broke out at karaoke bar No. 231 Quan Hoa (Cau Giay District, Hanoi), Lieutenant Colonel Dang Anh Quan and his two teammates, regardless of the danger, rushed into the fire to successfully rescue 8 victims. During the firefighting mission, Lieutenant Colonel Dang Anh Quan and his two teammates heroically sacrificed themselves.

Lieutenant Colonel Dam Thi Thanh Huyen, President of the Women's Union of the Foreign Affairs Department - Ministry of Public Security, shared: "Like many other comrades, we always remember the day when Mr. Quan and two very young comrades sacrificed their lives while on duty. Coming together with the unit to offer condolences, everyone's hearts were heavy and even more heartbroken when witnessing the situation of his family.

That is an old mother over 70 years old, without a pension, she still sells drinks at the alley entrance every day to earn extra income, and with her children takes care of two grandchildren.

Mr. Quan's wife, who works at the Institute of Linguistics, under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, almost collapsed because the loss came so suddenly to her. Mr. Quan sacrificed, the main pillar of the family was gone, leaving an irreplaceable void for his elderly mother and wife and children.

As soon as the plan was launched by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Women's Union of the Ministry of Public Security, the women's union of the Foreign Affairs Department went to the house to encourage and share with Mr. Quan's family and asked for permission to be the "godmother" of Dang Tai Tue - Mr. Quan's second son, with the desire to accompany Huyen's mother to love and care for him until he grows up.

Love and care of teammates

In July, when the whole country was paying tribute to martyrs, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien, wife of martyr Nguyen Dinh Long, shared: “Long has been away from me and my children for 15 years. Looking at our two grown children, I realize that he has gone very far. Thinking back, I don’t know how I overcame that crisis.”

She smiled softly: “It is true that my family, my children and I are very disadvantaged, but we live in the love and care of our comrades. Brother Long is far away, the house of my mother and I is compensated by his comrades, warmed so it is no longer lonely.”

Martyr Nguyen Dinh Long, police officer of Vu Bon commune, Krong Pak district (Dak Lak province), has two children, Nguyen Phuong Thao (born 2005) and Nguyen Dinh Hiep (born 2007).

In 2008, when Mr. Long and his teammates participated in resolving a case of disorder in the area with a group of violent, armed thugs, Mr. Long was injured and died while on duty, leaving behind his young wife and two young children, the oldest only 3 years old, the youngest less than 1 year old.

Lieutenant Colonel Cao Thi Hoai Nhan, President of the Women's Union of the Krong Pak District Police, recalled: "As soon as Long fell, the unit came to offer condolences to his family. Witnessing the situation of martyr Long's family with the old thatched roof house, especially his two children who were still too young, bewildered to see the house full of people and still playing together like every day, none of us could hold back our tears."

After the farewell ceremony for martyr Nguyen Dinh Long, the district Women's Union still went to his house to encourage and share with his wife and children, helping the two children eat and sleep, because his wife still could not recover from this incident.

Some time later, the District Women's Union decided to ask for permission from the Dak Lak Provincial Police Women's Union and the leaders of the Krong Pak District Police to find a way to help martyr Long's mother and three children by taking on the guardianship of Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Nguyen Dinh Hiep, to share the burden of raising children with martyr Long's family.

At that time, the Association mobilized external resources to award scholarships to the two children with a total amount of 200 million VND. In addition, the Association also decided to sponsor and take care of the two children, with a budget of 6 million VND/year/child. On holidays, Tet, July 27, or the new school year, the women's Association members of the unit came to share meals with the family, review lessons with the children, and play with them.

Thanks to the solidarity and persistent sharing from the smallest actions of the "godmothers", the family of martyr Long overcame difficulties and gradually stabilized their lives.

Lieutenant Colonel Cao Thi Hoai Nhan said: "The eldest child of martyr Long just graduated from high school this year. We are planning to continue sponsoring the two children until they finish university, instead of only until they are 18 years old as originally planned, to reduce the burden of worrying about the martyr's wife's children going to university."

Two children of martyr Nguyen Dinh Long in the warm arms of their "godmothers". (Photo: Cam Ha)

Talking about her wish today, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien said: "The life of the three of us is now stable and warm in the arms of our "godmothers", I have no more wish.

The eldest daughter just graduated from high school and wishes to enter the Security School to follow her father's career, but she doesn't know if she has enough points. The youngest son also dreams of following his father's career like his older sister, to protect the people and do useful work for society.

It can be seen that the warm embrace of the "godmothers" is spreading more and more throughout the country, truly soothing the pain of loss, filling the gaps with the families, wives, children and relatives of the martyrs left behind.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ngay-thuong-binh-liet-si-277-me-do-dau-cua-nhung-noi-dau-giua-thoi-binh-236155.html