Vietnamese girl goes to school on classmates’ backs

Ly stayed in the official residence of Mu Cang Chai District’s Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School, a few hundred meters from her classroom, but the 14-year-old has received support following an accident that left her with necrosis in her foot and a broken femur.

After the incident, Ly’s classmates took turns copying notes, summarizing lesson content, and caring for her, from meals to laundry and taking her to class.

Class members took turns carrying Giang Thi Ly to school every day, May 2024. Photo courtesy of Giang Thi Ly

Ly was on the verge of abandoning her dream of becoming a teacher. “But with my friends’ love, encouragement, and their refusal to mock my shortcomings, I found the strength to move forward,” she said.

In late November 2023, on the way home with her mother, their motorbike collided with another vehicle, causing Ly to fall out. A passing car then hit her left leg. At Mu Cang Chai district hospital, doctors diagnosed her with a severe case that would require the amputation of her necrotic foot.

Dumbfounded upon hearing the news, Ly’s family borrowed over VND100 million (US$4,000) from various sources for her treatment. After five hospital transfers from Yen Bai to Hanoi, Ly managed to keep her leg.

“The amount of debt is enough to cover the whole family’s expenses for the next 5 to 6 years. But for my child’s dream, I will do everything to the best of my ability,” said Sung Thi Giang, Ly’s mother.

After enduring 40 days of medical transfers and treatments, including head shaving, skin grafts from her scalp to her thighs, and numerous surgeries, Ly still made time for studying whenever the pain subsided. At the beginning of this year, she returned to school, donning a beanie and long pants to cover the wounds.

Conscious of her appearance, Ly sat at the back corner of the classroom, occasionally shedding tears of self-pity. The homeroom teacher and her 34 classmates frequently offered encouragement and took on the responsibility of assisting her with school activities and carrying her to school.

“I didn’t expect my friends to help me copy all the lessons during breaks. Many of them took turns carrying me to class so I wouldn’t feel sorry for myself,” Ly said.

Sitting next to Ly was her best friend, Giang Thi Hong Tam, who helped take care of her. Initially, Ly’s left leg was paralyzed, making daily activities difficult. Tam offered to stay at the hospital, assisting her friend during showers, giving her medicine, bringing her meals three times a day from the cafeteria, and even carrying Ly to school despite her slim physique.

During the recent Tet and Reunification holidays, while most students went home for vacation, Ly stayed behind due to her leg pain, with her parents coming to take care of her. She was touched when Tam and other friends regularly visited the school, despite living several dozen kilometers away, bringing gifts of corn, potatoes, cakes, and candy.

“I feel fortunate. Even if I may never walk again, I have many dreams to fulfill,” the 14-year-old girl said.

Giang Thi Hong Tam (L) helps Giang Thi Ly (C) with laundry, cooking, and care in place of her family, May 2024. Photo by Thanh Nga

Witnessing Ly’s efforts, homeroom teacher Le Thi Tan said that even after taking several months off for medical treatment, Ly was still diligent in her studies. Tan noticed Ly’s room light still on at midnight many times as she reviewed her lessons.

Knowing Ly’s family’s financial difficulties, Tan and the teaching staff raised over VND10 million in donations. “The doctor said Ly has hope of walking again if she undergoes a few more surgeries, each costing over VND100 million. This amount is too large for her family to manage,” said the teacher.

“Hopefully a miracle will come to Ly. Walking normally is now a big dream for this child.”

Ly currently lives with her mother and grandmother for the summer. In late June, the changing weather led to Ly developing a fever, with her legs becoming painful and numb. She has frequently blamed herself for being a burden to her family.

“I wish I could help my mother with herding cows, buffaloes, and working in the fields to pay off our debt, especially since she still has to take care of my three sisters,” Ly said.

She fell silent after sharing that she will need another surgery in just over a month.