SPREADING THE NOBLE DEED OF TEACHER HOANG THI HIEN – A TEACHER WHO SELFLESSLY RISKED HER LIFE TO SAVE A CHILD

On the morning of September 10, at Viet Duc University Hospital (Hanoi), Dr. Nguyen Vinh Hanh—Chairman of the School Council of Nguyen Sieu Primary School—personally visited and offered words of encouragement to teacher Hoang Thi Hien following her painful surgeries.

Deeply moved upon hearing how Ms. Hien threw herself after a 2-year-old child running onto the road without a second thought, putting her own safety on the line to protect the toddler from danger, Dr. Nguyen Vinh Hanh expressed his profound gratitude. It was not merely a teacher's instinct toward a student, but a noble gesture that profoundly demonstrated love, responsibility, and the quiet sacrifices made by educators.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of August 28 at the Tan Lam school location. A 2-year-old child was brought by her older sister to get familiarized with the school before the new academic year. When the sister left, the child unexpectedly ran out of the school area. Spotting the dangerous situation, Ms. Hoang Thi Hien immediately ran after her to bring her back to safety. In that split-second emergency, her primary thought was to protect the child. However, while preventing the child from running further into traffic, she accidentally slipped and fell onto the roadway, where a truck ran over both of her legs.

Following the accident, Ms. Hien received first aid from bystanders at the scene and was promptly taken to a local medical facility before being transferred to Viet Duc University Hospital for further treatment. The days that followed were an ordeal filled with pain and hardship for the young female teacher. She underwent multiple surgeries due to severe injuries to both legs. By September 10, because of worsening wounds and necrosis, doctors were forced to amputate one of her legs above the knee. Her other leg suffered less severe damage and remains under active treatment, with doctors hoping to preserve maximum mobility for her future.

Behind this physical pain lies a heart-wrenching circumstance. Ms. Hoang Thi Hien is a single mother, working as a teacher while raising two young children aged 7 and 4. The mother and her children do not own a home and currently live with her parents. Life was already filled with hardship, and this unexpected tragedy makes the young mother's future even more uncertain. While she lies in treatment in Hanoi, back home her two young children long for their mother's return every single day.

Deeply understanding the immense sacrifice Ms. Hien endured and profoundly respecting her selfless act to save a child, Dr. Nguyen Vinh Hanh visited her at the hospital immediately after her surgery on the morning of September 10. Inside the hospital room, amidst enduring pain, their brief meeting was filled with deep emotion.

On behalf of Nguyen Sieu Primary School, Dr. Hanh presented Ms. Hoang Thi Hien with 10,000,000 VND to help ease her immediate financial burden, along with small gifts for her two children as words of comfort during their time apart from their mother. Overwhelmed by this care and affection, Ms. Hien could not hold back her tears. Choked up, the tearful mother expressed: "You didn't just visit me; you brought gifts for my children too. Right now, my only yearning is how deeply I miss my children. I just want to go home to them... I miss them so much..." Her simple words left the room in emotional silence.

Even after suffering a profound personal loss, Teacher Hien's biggest heartache remained not what she had lost, but her deep longing for the two little ones waiting for her at home.

The visit lasted only a few minutes to protect her health post-surgery, but it was filled with heartfelt solidarity among educators. The presence of Dr. Nguyen Vinh Hanh and the care of the entire Nguyen Sieu Primary School community serve as an encouragement for Ms. Hien on her road to recovery, as well as a tribute to a noble act of teaching.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hien's story helps many appreciate the true essence of being an educator. Being a teacher is not defined solely by lesson plans, great lectures, or hours spent in the classroom. Behind it lies a deep responsibility, love for children, and the willingness to shield them when danger arrives. Some actions take only a few seconds, but their humanistic value lasts forever.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hien's selfless deed deserves to be honored and shared—as a beautiful story of love for children, dedication as a teacher, and above all, human kindness. May Ms. Hien receive continued support, courage, and strength on the challenging path ahead to overcome her pain, recover her health, and return home soon to her two awaiting children. May her noble act continue to spread kindness far and wide.