Vietnamese Family Shelter – Episode 147: A heart-wrenching story of an orphaned boy who becomes “the eyes” for his blind mother

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• Vietnamese Family Shelter – Episode 166: Host Thanh Trung and ca nuong Kieu Anh in tears over the plight of two children who lost their father, whose mother remarried, now relying on a grandmother with heart disease

In Episode 147 of Vietnamese Family Shelter, nearly 600 million VND was awarded to families in need, combining prize money from the program with generous contributions from artists, audience, and benefactors.

One of the stories that deeply moved the audience was that of Thi Van Nam (born 2013), a seventh-grade student at Phan Boi Chau Secondary School in Thang Dien Commune, Da Nang City. Nam currently lives with his blind mother and his grandmother, who is the sole source of support for the small family.

Because of her visual impairment, Ms. Thi Thi My Hoa (born 1977) cannot work and spends most of her time at home. She is shy and reluctant to communicate. “I feel very sad and sorry for myself because I gave birth to my child but have never seen his face even once. I fear that he may not grow up to be a good person,” Ms. Hoa said with tears in her voice, adding that she only knows he is home when he calls out “Mom” after school.
Previously, Nam’s grandmother, Truong Thi Phien (born 1937), worked as a farmer, growing a few crops around the house to support the family. However, in recent years she has suffered from severe heart failure and underwent stent surgery. Her health has declined, she is frequently hospitalized, and she is no longer able to work.

Since then, the three of them have survived on the grandmother’s 500,000 VND monthly elderly support and Ms. Hoa’s approximately 1 million VND disability allowance. Even with extremely frugal spending, this income is not enough to cover basic living costs.
The family’s difficult circumstances often force Nam to skip breakfast or eat only cold rice and instant noodles before school. A proper breakfast is a luxury he seldom enjoys. The absence of a complete family life has made Nam quiet and reserved; when he feels sadness, he often retreats to a hidden corner to cry alone. Nam’s greatest wishes are to one day feel the love of a father whom he has never met and for his mother to be able to see his face. He also dreams of organizing a birthday celebration for his mother so she can experience joy like other parents.

Despite his young age, Nam is compassionate and responsible. He proactively helps his grandmother and mother with daily chores, and he accompanies his mother as they walk together around the yard. For Ms. Hoa, this trip to participate in Vietnamese Family Shelter was the farthest she has ever travelled. Her greatest wish is for her son to grow up to be independent and able to care for himself in the future.
The artists were visibly moved by Nam’s story. MC Huynh Lap choked up, saying that Nam was too young to shoulder so many responsibilities — balancing school, housework, and being his mother’s “eyes.” Singer Emily was touched by his maturity, noting that Nam’s understanding of life had made him less carefree and that he rarely smiled like other children his age. Facing the hardships of this 12-year-old boy, she cried and embraced Nam to encourage him.

Behind the scenes, Emily remained emotional after witnessing the difficult stories of the children featured on the program. She shared that despite her busy artistic career, especially during holiday seasons, she and her husband BigDaddy always prioritize spending time with their own children, even relying on their parents for help when they perform abroad for extended periods. In addition to heartfelt encouragement, the Vietnamese Family Shelter team helped Nam prepare a birthday cake to fulfill his wish of presenting it to his mother. The image of Nam holding the cake and giving his mother his heartfelt wishes moved many viewers to tears. Although Ms. Hoa could not see the cake, she was visibly touched by her son’s gesture and by everyone’s kind words.
During the challenge segment, rapper BigDaddy and singer Emily actively supported the participating families. At one point, BigDaddy experienced a wardrobe mishap when his pants tore. Emily immediately covered him, and without interrupting filming, he wrapped a towel around himself, continued competing, and worked to secure priority benefits for the families before changing clothes to complete the recording.

Upon completing the challenges, Tran Thi Thuy Tien’s family placed third and received 18 million VND; Hoang Ngoc Bao Khanh’s family secured second place with 24 million VND; and Thi Van Nam’s family won first place with a total prize of 55 million VND.

To accompany the families beyond the show, rapper BigDaddy and singer Emily personally contributed additional funds: Nam’s family and Bao Khanh’s family each received an extra 20 million VND, while Thuy Tien’s family received an extra 30 million VND. Audience members and benefactors present at the recording also joined in donating, contributing more than 420 million VND to support the three families. This substantial amount reflects the spirit of mutual support and community care that Vietnamese Family Shelter strives to share and spread.
In total, after combining donations from guest artists and contributions from the audience and benefactors, the support provided to all three families reached nearly 600 million VND, including 97 million VND in prize money sponsored by Hoa Sen Group.
Vietnamese Family Shelter airs at 8:20 p.m. every Friday on HTV7. The program is produced by BEE COMM in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television, with the companionship of Hoa Sen Home Building Materials & Furniture Supermarket Chain (Hoa Sen Group) and Hoa Sen Plastic Pipes – Leading the Source of Happiness.

Hoa Sen Group