Born a healthy boy like his peers, an accident at the age of 8, caused by digging into a bomb, robbed Canh of eyesight. As the only son in a family with 6 sisters, this accident deeply saddened Canh and his entire family. In just a moment, surrounded by the darkness of the night, Canh had to rely on someone to guide him everywhere, leaving him fearful and disoriented. As he grew older, Canh's sadness only intensified as he had to depend on others for everything, unable to see, unable to witness what his loved ones were doing, or how the people around him looked... everything was just perception.
Unable to see anything, Huu Canh had to abandon his studies halfway through. At that time, Canh's parents didn't know of any schools for the blind where their son could continue his education. In 1997, through a radio broadcast, Canh learned about the School for Disabled Children in Long Xuyen City, and persuaded his parents to send him there. At the age of 12, this young man born in the 80s began first grade with Braille. After being out of school for so long, being able to engage with letters gave Canh Canh an extra boost of motivation to live, and he was determined to finish high school despite the many hardships and challenges along the way.
With relentless effort and a thirst for knowledge, fortune smiled on Huu Canh when he was admitted directly into the Special Education Faculty at the University of Education in Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, his dream of knowledge has continued to take flight. From there, the computer became Huu Canh's close companion, and thanks to software that reads Braille for the blind, he was able to access knowledge as easily as sighted people. Understanding the risks of a collision for the blind on the road on the road, especially at night, Huu Canh always harbored the idea of creating a cane that could provide better warning signals to help those around him detect and avoid colliding with the blind when walking on the road. In 2011, the project "Cane with Light and Sound for the Blind" won first prize in the Eureka competition organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, and first prize in the Young Vietnamese Talent in Science competition hosted by the Ministry of Education and Training. One might have thought that such an excellent academic record and talent would open up a promising future for this young man, however, Huu Canh couldn't find a job.
In 2014, Canh decided to return to his hometown and had the opportunity to work at the Social Protection Center in Kien Giang province. Not only did he find a job, but on his turf, he also found the love of his life during a charity performance to raise funds for disadvantaged individuals in early 2017. Canh met Huynh To Nga - the woman he thought he must have had "a thousand lifetimes of fate" to encounter. As a member of the Kien Giang Blind Association, Canh attended the charity event to play the guitar and sing. Meanwhile, Nga, a radio broadcaster for An Minh District Radio Station, supported blind attendees. The songs and melodies of the blind young man won Nga's affection from the very first moment they met. After several meetings, they both quietly cared for and supported each other. Neither confessed their feelings, but they understood they couldn't live without each other. And then, Canh took a leap of faith and proposed over the phone: "Let's get married next month". The reason for such a hasty proposal was that "next month" was when Canh was leaving for Australia to study abroad, and on that special journey, he always wanted Nga to be by his side. Despite objections from Nga's relatives, compassion and love made their two hearts beat as one.
Upon returning to Vietnam, Canh continued to work in the field of education to help people with disabilities live better lives. He also set up charity projects, providing wheelchairs, "Seeds of Love" rice, among others, to orphaned children. Not stopping there, Canh has been actively involved in inspirational activities. In 2023, he and his team participated in a marathon and remarkably became the first disabled team to complete the Ironman 70.3 challenge, making their mark in Ironman history and the Guinness Vietnam record books. This achievement was not only a remarkable feat but also carried a message of inspiration for people with disabilities nationwide: "You can do anything".
So far, Canh and Nga's fairytale love story of Canh and Nga has borne sweet fruit: a charming little boy. Despite this, they continue their work of counseling and supporting the disabled community. It’s Canh's wish to spread inspiration and help even more people in unfortunate circumstances. The gift from the Station of Love will give wings to this humane wish.
What secrets helped Canh successfully win scholarships in Australia? Why did he choose to return to his hometown to become a teacher, teaching blind children when there were so many job opportunities abroad? All these questions will be answered in the Station of Love at 10:00 AM on Saturday, 27 April 2024 at 10:00 on VTV1.
