Tâm and Năm together on a three-wheeled electric motorbike, a gift from a benefactor in 2022. — Photo dantri.vn

HCM CITY — If anyone ever saw Nguyễn Mai Văn Tâm and Nguyễn Thị Năm on the streets of HCM City making their living, you would swear they were related.

However, 86-year-old Năm's bond with Tâm is not by blood, but by something more profound, built over the past six years.

According to Tâm, he had a very strange life. Although the 43-year-old couldn't read or write after dropping out of school early, he speaks English very well. At the age of 13, he lost his biological mother, but life gave him an unexpected gift when he was nearly 40, a new "mother".

In the early 2000s, he joined friends selling clothes, stickers, etc. on Đồng Khởi Street to foreigners. Through this, he became acquainted and close to Năm's son. In Tâm's memories, when she was healthy, Năm was a gentle and generous woman who cared deeply for everyone.

Friends such as Tâm would often visit, and Năm would often invite them to have a meal and stay for a nap. One time, while riding his motorbike near the Hàng Xanh intersection, he collided with a woman riding a bicycle.

Tâm was thrown a considerable distance after the collision, and had to be rushed to the emergency room. Năm, upon hearing the news, immediately went to visit him, waiting by his bedside.

"That was the first time I felt the motherly warmth and care," Tâm recalled.

Over 20 years passed, and their communication was frequently interrupted. Due to business losses, Năm decided to sell her house in District 4 and divide the proceeds among her four children.

She moved to live in a rented room in Thủ Đức City with one of her sons and her biological daughter. According to Năm, her children had started their own families but were facing many difficulties in life.

In 2017, she began experiencing frequent leg pain and had to receive injections from the doctor. One morning, she woke up in shock, discovering that her legs were no longer movable.

She needs help to carry out all her daily activities such as eating, using the restroom, bathing, and more. Later on, Năm's daughter suffered a traffic accident, affecting her health, and she couldn't regularly take care of her mother.

As Năm's son had gone to Thailand for business and rarely returned home, he asked Tâm to take care of their mother. Tâm didn't hesitate and agreed. Every morning and evening, he would come to their house and cook meals, clean the house, take care of Năm's hygiene.

At that time, Tâm was working at a restaurant and could only visit Năm after finishing work. He installed a camera in the house for easy monitoring, and would occasionally check on the cameras and ask if Năm was fine. He also instructed her that if anything was wrong, she should throw a towel to the right, and he would rush back immediately.

Later on, Năm's son encountered some difficulties in Thailand and gradually lost contact with his family. Tâm only remembered that in their last calls, his friend asked him to take care of his mother.

"I couldn't bear to leave an over 80-year-old paralysed woman alone in a rented room. My conscience and love wouldn't allow me to do that. So, I decided to come back and live with her," Tâm said.

As Năm's health continued to deteriorate, Tâm decided to quit his job at the restaurant and sell lottery tickets. It was the only job that allowed him to be by Năm's side 24/7.

The bond between Tâm and Năm, built over the past six years, is not by blood, but by something more profound. Photo dantri.com.vn

​In a small rented room on Nguyễn Trung Nguyệt Street, Thủ Đức, Tâm placed his bed next to Năm's bed for easy supervision. On cold nights, when her pain intensified and she shivered, Tâm would always stay awake to massage her, administer medication, and massage her hands and feet.

"Tâm takes care of me meticulously as if I were its own flesh and blood," shared an emotional Năm.

"Things like emptying bedpans, taking out the trash and changing diapers, people are usually afraid to do these things, let alone someone who is not even of the same bloodline. But he does everything without hesitation."

Năm moved to a nursing home in Đồng Nai Province. However, after living there for a few days, she felt lonely and sad, so she decided to return.

A year ago, both of them were given an electric wheelchair, which Tâm used to carry Năm to a nearby area close to Lê Văn Thịnh Hospital in Thủ Đức City to sell lottery tickets. Tâm would bring his "mum" back home at noon for lunch.

In this way, the "mother and son" pair, Tâm and Năm, overcame many hardships and shared tears and laughter, supporting each other to live.

Tâm said: "The elderly are like oil lamps hanging in the wind. I only hope that my mother can live with me forever." — VNS