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PHÚ YÊN — Lê Ngọc Thanh's life was thought to have gone downhill when his parents tragically died, but the heroes of Tuy Hoà Border Guards offered him a home, and a path to a brighter future.

Born in the family of Lê Văn T. and Nguyễn Thị Th., although life was hard, siblings Lê Thị Thùy Trang, Lê Thị Thiết Điểm, Lê Thị Oanh Thư and Lê Ngọc Thanh always felt the love from their parents.

However, those happy days abruptly ended in 2013, when a sea accident claimed the life of T., the family's breadwinner. Thanh was three when his dad passed away.

Although stricken with grief, Th.'s love for her kids helped her persevere and tirelessly worked multiple low-income jobs to make ends meet.

Disaster struck the family once again when Th. was diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and passed away months later, leaving her four children without a mother and a father.

Their grandparents took care of the siblings after their parents' deaths. All six lives depended on their small street vendor stall. With the help from the community, Thanh's three older sisters are still continuing their studies.

The two oldest siblings, Lê Thị Thuỳ Trang, 21, and Lê Thị Thiết Điểm, 20, are studying at Quy Nhơn University. Both are working part-time jobs to cover for their tuition fees. Lê Thị Oanh Thư, 15, is a tenth grader and still lives with her grandparents.

After knowing about the four siblings' story, the servicemen at Tuy Hoà Border Guard asked Thanh's grandparents to adopt and take care of Thanh at their barracks.

After three years at the barracks, the soldiers regard Thanh as one of their own, and love him as a little brother.

Thanh also benefited from living life in the military as well, practising good habits and routines he learned from the servicemen. Everyday, he woke up at 5, and helped the soldiers with their work around the barracks.

"Thanh is a very good and smart boy," said Second Lieutenant Lê Vũ Anh Hoài, Thanh's primary caretaker. "He can remember the names of all 60 soldiers in the barracks, and takes care of himself well on his own."

"Thanh always tries to learn from the soldiers' lives," said Hoài.

For Thanh to go to school in the best conditions possible, Tuy Hoà Camp has rallied soldiers and workers to donate and ask for donations from other benefactors.

Currently in seventh grade at Đinh Tiên Hoàng Secondary School in District 9, Tuy Hoà, Thanh had difficulties in his first few school years, but after his adoption by the servicemen at Tuy Hoà Camp, the hardships have since subsided.

"Ever since Thanh started living in the barracks, his studying gets better. He was a good student for three straight years and we are happy about his achievements," said Hoài.

Thanh called Hoài "brother", since Hoài was the one who shared a room with him, took care of him and even took him outside to play with him. On the weekends when there's no schoolwork, Hoài drove Thanh back to his grandparents' house.

"It's fun living with the soldiers," said Thanh with a smile, "When I'm sad I had them to talk with me. Sometimes I miss my home and my parents, but I can never see my parents again. When I grow up, I want to be a soldier so that I can stay with my 'brothers' longer." — VNS.