The blind journalist’s journey through darkness

Early in the morning in a small house in Phuong Liet ward, Hanoi, Nguyen Tien Thanh (38 years old) kissed his children goodbye and then groped his way out the gate.

In September 2011, his eyes could no longer see light due to gout.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Thanh is currently Chairman of the Blind Association of Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi.

In the days when he lost light, Thanh groped around the house even though he repeatedly bumped his head into cabinets and walls.

Once an active reporter, now he locks himself in his room every day, making Thanh angry with everyone.

One time, his 6-year-old niece took him outside to get some fresh air and innocently said, `I dare you to parachute from the 2nd floor to the ground.` Thanh felt guilty, his hand clutched the railing, a thought flashed through his mind.

During Tet 2012, a neighbor came to visit and suggested that he join the District Blind Association to learn a trade.

He was sent to learn braille, computer science and mobility skills at the Vietnam Association of the Blind.

In class, Thanh met a boyfriend named Thai who has been blind since he was 14 years old.

The award was like a spiritual medicine for Thanh. In addition to his work at the District Blind Association, he returned to his old newspaper to write articles.

The first time he returned to writing, a businessman who knew that Thanh’s eyesight was failing advised him to find another more suitable job.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Thanh gave gifts to blind members in the new year of 2020. Previously in 2019, Thanh Xuan District Association of the Blind received a certificate of merit from the Vietnam Association of the Blind.

At the end of 2012, Thanh went to interview a Chinese business. Before arriving, he was sent reference documents by the company’s translator, and the two of them exchanged information back and forth.

The first time they met, seeing Thanh’s scholarly face, the young translator was immediately impressed.

After that meeting, Hong took Thanh to interviews all over the city many times.

One year after the first meeting, Thanh mustered up the courage to invite his girlfriend to a cafe and proposed.

`Even though my eyes are damaged, I can still work normally. I will bring happiness to Hong,` Thanh said and quietly left.

Tet 2014, Thanh once again went to his girlfriend’s house, this time Hong’s parents asked about his health and work.

As a wife, Hong always escorts her husband to interviews and helps him take photos.

The family is happy and complete, Thanh thinks of the blind people around him who have never had a proper wedding.

In September 2019, when he became Chairman of the Thanh Xuan Blind Association, he proposed his idea to the sponsors.

Two months later, with the help of a wedding center, 21 blind couples in Hanoi had a group wedding filled with joy, the oldest couple was over 70 years old.

Along with his knowledge of journalism, Thanh was invited by the Hanoi Blind Association to be a teacher instructing members on how to write news articles in various types of newspapers.

At the end of 2019, Nguyen Tien Thanh was awarded the title `Good person, good deeds` by Hanoi City.

The wife’s name has been changed.