The miserable circumstance of a 90-year-old mother

Agent Orange/dioxin has left extremely serious and painful consequences for its victims and their relatives. No word can tell the pain of mothers who have their children infected with this toxic chemical with their deformed bodies.

We, along with the Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in Hung Thanh Commune, Tan Phuoc District, Tien Giang Province, visited the family of Ms. Le Thi Di, who is 88 years old and currently living in Hung Quoi Hamlet, Hung Thanh Commune, Tan Phuoc District. At her age, she should be enjoying her old age with her children and grandchildren, but she still leads a hard life, as she has to take care of her 57-year-old daughter who is disabled due to the effects of Agent Orange.

Di told us that: Her husband, Mr. Kieu Van Kim, joined the resistance war against the US and died in 1967. Due to genetics from their father, both her children were infected with Agent Orange, so their life is very difficult. Her eldest son passed away a few years ago, leaving her with three disabled grandchildren. Her second daughter, Kieu Thi Lien, is bedridden; who has to depend on her daily life activities, from eating to bathing and washing, on her mother.

Di is now old and weak, and often sick, so her life is very difficult and arduous. Sympathizing with her situation, the Associations at all levels regularly visit and encourage her family to strive to improve their lives.

It is such a painful circumstance for a family with 3 generations infected with Agent Orange. For over 10 years, Di has had to struggle to care for and raise her disabled child. No one knows how Lien’s life will be like when her mother is getting older and weaker day by day. Currently, Di's family is in dire need of help from the community and kind-hearted individuals to help her family ease the pain of Agent Orange caused by the war.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuoc, President of the Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin of Hung Thanh Commune, said: "Di's family is in a particularly difficult situation. Every year, we give them a lot of care, but that is only a temporary solution. We hope that the community will join hands to help her family reduce their hardship and suffering."

Witnessing Di's family situation, many people could not hold back their tears. Her neighbors confided that raising a normal and healthy child is extremely difficult, let alone her situation. Seeing Di's loving, caring gestures towards her disabled daughter, we admire her even more. We hope that there will be many kind-hearted people helping her family reduce their hardship and suffering.

For decades, Di has suffered a lot because of her daughter. Every time the weather changes, her daughter has a seizure and cries. Whenever she sees her daughter, she cries until her tears dry and her heart aches. Perhaps, Di will continue to endure her hard life with her sick daughter without any peaceful moment until she dies...

Minh Ut