Heroic Mother Hồ Thị Vàng shows a photo of her son, martyr Nguyễn Văn Dậy, to visitors. —VNA/VNS Photo

ĐỒNG NAI — The war ended over five decades ago. But for 90-year-old Heroic Mother Hồ Thị Vàng from Tân Triều Commune, Đồng Nai City, love for her fallen husband and son, as well as for the other martyrs who died for the country, is still alive in her heart. 

Vàng's greatest strength lies not in her stories about the war, but in her quiet sacrifices.     

Thanks to her contributions, her modest home has become a cherished destination – a 'red address', or a historical landmark – welcoming numerous delegations of officials, Youth Union members, young people and students.

Her husband and son both died in the resistance war against the US, but to date, only her husband's remains have been found and brought back to his family.

Her husband is martyr Nguyễn Văn Đầy.

As for her son, martyr Nguyễn Văn Dậy, his resting place is still unknown, leaving an anxiety that has lasted for decades in his mother's heart.

Vàng's husband, Đầy, was a local soldier stationed not too far from home. He was only able to visit home a few times a year. 

After Đầy joined the revolution, Vàng had to work to raise five children by herself.

Nguyễn Văn Cầu is Vàng’s youngest son, who currently takes care of his mother. He recounted the memories that still make him choke up every time he mentions them. 

Đầy was killed in an ambush in 1962 while on duty.

“After receiving the news that my father had been killed, my mother looked like she had lost her soul,” Cầu recalled.

“She could no longer concentrate on doing anything. She was absentminded and lethargic all the time."

The pain of losing her beloved husband had not yet subsided when, in 1969, the war also took her son Dậy, just a teenager at the time.

Vàng’s heart was broken.

According to Cầu’s memory, his brother Dậy was small in stature but brave.

“I was told that when he was young, he quietly left home to follow the call of the Fatherland and join revolutionary activities,” Cầu said.

“Before he died in an enemy raid, he had not yet returned home to visit us. To date, my family still does not know my brother’s resting place.”

The Heroic Mother's greatest wish is to locate her son's final resting place.

While the Fatherland honours him as a hero, for her, he remains forever her little boy who never made it home for dinner.

'Red address' for revolutionary education

For years, Vàng's humble house has been a 'red address', a historic revolutionary site visited by hundreds of Youth Union members, young people and students, who come to pay respects to Vàng’s sacrifice for the country.

Kind words, fresh flower bouquets and meaningful gifts cannot compensate for the losses that the Heroic Mother has experienced, but they are an expression of the idiom 'When drinking water, remember the source', demonstrating gratitude today for yesterday's sacrifice.

Huỳnh Thanh Tú Quyên, a fourth grader at Thạnh Phú Primary School, said that when she visited Vàng and heard about her life and sacrifices, she better understood the value of peace today.

“Mother Vàng's stories help us better appreciate the sacrifices of previous generations, reminding us to study and train hard to be worthy of what our ancestors paid for with their blood and bones,” Quyên said.

Nguyễn Võ Ngọc Hòa, vice chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Tan Triều Commune, said the local government and young people of the commune regularly visit and present gifts to Vàng.

Every few years, the Youth Union organises activities to honour and express gratitude to the Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and revolutionary families in the area.

In particular, the ward's Youth Union organised an activity called 'A Meal with Mother' to help young people learn from Vàng’s stories about the struggle of her husband and son, and even her memories of her son, who died so young, Hoà said.

This activity aims to promote the role and responsibility of youth in paying tribute to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and those who contributed to the revolution. — VNS