In a stilt house in Cao Cau 2 village (Bach Xa commune, Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang province), Lieutenant Luc Van Nguyen (of Yen Thuan police station) calls out to his adopted son, Nguyen Quoc Bao (9 years old). The boy runs over, and Lieutenant Nguyen strokes his tousled hair, reminding him to go to bed early. The next day, he takes Bao and his 5-year-old daughter to Hanoi to visit the Vietnam Military History Museum.
The little boy jumps up with joy. His mother, Ly Thi Nam (26), smiles from afar. She silently thanks the police officer for entering her son’s life, warming his broken heart.
“With Dad Nguyen, I’m Not Afraid Anymore”
Every time Lieutenant Nguyen visits, Bao excitedly shouts, “Dad Nguyen!” His bright eyes sparkle as he says, “Since having Dad Nguyen, I’m not afraid anymore.”
His fear began five months ago when a flood, caused by the remnants of Typhoon Yagi, swept away his father and younger sister during a family trip.
On September 8, 2024, Mr. Nguyen Van Nhu (30) took Bao and his 5-year-old sister, Nguyen Thi Bao Trang, to attend a wedding in Yen Thuan commune. On their way home, they were caught in a raging flood near a dam overflow.
Mr. Nhu and Bao clung to a roadside marker while Mr. Nhu swam into the flood to save his daughter. Bao was swept away and got stuck in a clump of bamboo.
At the police station, Lieutenant Nguyen received news about a child trapped in the floodwaters. He rushed to the scene, calling for help and securing a rescue buoy. Two minutes later, he arrived and found Bao drifting 100 meters downstream, holding onto a bamboo stalk.
The water was deep and fast. Lieutenant Nguyen asked Bao if he could swim; the boy shook his head. Lieutenant Nguyen handed his life jacket to Bao and plunged into the flood, using a rope to pull Bao to safety.
“Bao was terrified and trembling. If we hadn’t acted quickly, he would have been swept away,” Lieutenant Nguyen recounted.
Nguyen Quoc Bao clings to bamboo as the floodwaters carry him away, rescued by Lieutenant Nguyen (Photo: Social media)
After rescuing Bao, Lieutenant Nguyen continued searching for Mr. Nhu and his daughter. The strong currents made rescue efforts difficult. Nearly two days later, Mr. Nhu’s body was found 2 kilometers downstream, and his daughter’s body was found 200 meters away.
The loss of the family devastated the entire village and weighed heavily on Lieutenant Nguyen. The storm had taken a happy family.
He remembered Bao’s words: “Please try to save my dad. Otherwise, I will be sad when my classmates ask why I don’t have a dad.”
“I Wish to Be a Police Officer to Help People”
After the storm, Lieutenant Nguyen visited Bao’s family. The household of five now only has three members, including a 2-month-old baby. Their simple stilt house has nothing valuable except a TV that is always on “for the sound of people.”
Bao often dreams of his father and sister, saying, “They flew up to the sky.” One day at dinner, Bao cried, telling his mother, “I miss my dad and sister. All I want is to have them sit down and eat with us like before. Just one meal together, then I won’t miss them anymore.”
