Vietnamese Family Shelter – Episode 148: The heart-breaking circumstances of three siblings who lost their father while their seriously Ill mother struggles to support the family

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• Vietnamese Family Shelter – Episode 167: Host Duong Hong Phuc, Ngoc Han, and athlete Do Kim Phuc moved by the plight of a boy with a hereditary kidney disease, whose mother is on end-stage dialysis

MC Duong Hong Phuc, singer Hoang Hai, and runner-up Mai Ngo were deeply moved by the resilience of Ms. Truong Thi Thanh — a woman who is struggling every day to earn a living and care for her elderly parents-in-law and three young children after the passing of her husband.

Phung Huu Phu (born in 2009), an 11th-grade student at Huong Thuy High School, Thanh Thuy Ward, Hue City, is one of the stories that brought many viewers of Vietnamese Family Shelter to tears. Phu came to the program while still grieving the loss of his father, who passed away from lung cancer just over 49 days earlier. His father’s sudden death not only took away the family’s main breadwinner, but also left a profound emotional void.

Since her husband’s passing, Ms. Truong Thi Thanh (born in 1984), Phu’s mother, has had to shoulder the entire family on her own. She suffers from low blood pressure and frequent dizziness, which often forces her to remain seated. Even so, she works tirelessly from early morning until late at night to care for her aging parents-in-law and her three school-aged children. Her job as a garment factory worker brings in an income of approximately 5 million VND per month, which serves as the family’s primary source of livelihood.

Phu’s grandparents are both over 70 years old. His grandfather is in poor health and unable to work, while his grandmother still tries to sell vegetables to earn a small income for daily expenses. Phu’s two younger siblings — one in ninth grade and the other in fifth grade — are very understanding and actively help with household chores.
Seeing his mother growing more exhausted and worn down each day, Phu once asked for permission to leave school in order to work and help support his grandparents and younger siblings. His mother firmly refused. Despite all the hardships, Ms. Thanh remains determined to ensure her children can continue their education. Remembering her mother’s words, Huu Phu constantly reminds himself to study hard and not disappoint her hopes.
This past summer, the three siblings applied for part-time jobs at a small restaurant near their home. Together, they earned around 3 million VND per month, which they saved to cover school supplies and expenses for the new academic year. Despite enduring many losses, Huu Phu continues to hold on to his dream of studying Information Technology. He hopes to attend university, work while studying, and one day become a strong pillar for his family in place of his father.
Runner-up Mai Ngo repeatedly wiped away tears as she witnessed the family’s heartbreaking circumstances. When she saw Phu’s younger sister sobbing from missing her father, Mai Ngo tightly embraced the child. Overcome with emotion, she cried and shared:
“Aunt Mai Ngo is just like you. When I was seven years old, I cried every night because my father passed away. Sometimes, when I saw others with their fathers, my heart ached. I truly understand how you feel.”
She also expressed deep admiration for the perseverance of Ms. Truong Thi Thanh.

MC Duong Hong Phuc was visibly choked with emotion by the severe material and emotional deprivation faced by the three siblings. He felt even more heartbroken upon hearing that the children asked for nothing, only wishing to have their father by their side and to be held by him once again. The MC burst into tears and hugged the children, offering comfort and encouragement as they continue to cope with their fresh loss.
Singer Hoang Hai was also deeply moved, standing silently in a mixture of sorrow and admiration. He sympathized with the fact that the three siblings were forced to confront the pain of losing their father at such a young age, while also expressing respect for their determination to work part-time and help their mother despite their grief.
After completing the challenges, Phung Huu Phu’s family placed third and received 17 million VND. Ho Nguyen Ai Duyen’s family finished second with 23 million VND, while Hoang Khanh Hoang’s family won first place with a total prize of 55 million VND.

In addition to the prize money provided by Hoa Sen Group, many audience members and benefactors who attended the live recording contributed nearly 450 million VND to support the families. Furthermore, Hoang Hai’s fan club donated 10 million VND, while the singer himself contributed an additional 20 million VND, divided equally among the three families. As a result, the total amount received by the families in Episode 148 exceeded 575 million VND, including 95 million VND in prize money from 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