On a late June day in 2018, as usual, my father cheerfully went to work in the morning. In the evening, he took me to the bookstore to get a book I had long wanted. Late that night, the hospital informed us that he had passed away due to a heart attack.
That year, at the age of 17, I had just finished my university entrance exams and was eagerly awaiting the results. Two weeks later, it would be my 18th birthday. However, my father would never be able to witness those moments. In an instant, I experienced the excruciating pain of losing a loved one and witnessed my mother collapse, my younger brother was overwhelmed with grief, held the pillow, and silently wept.
Hi, I am Minh Ngọc, and I am 23 years old.
A decade has gone by since that fateful night, yet the memories remain intact. The girl, who was then 17 years old, has now graduated from university, found a job she loves, and her younger brother is in his second year of college. With time, her mother has managed to live without her father by her side.
The idea for the project “Daddy we are here – Ba ơi con đây” was conceived in 2021 while randomly browsing images from her father’s cross-country album over ten years ago. “Why not travel to the places my father visited and leave my own footprint there?”. Then, she gathered all her father’s photos from his journeys, went to the exact spots where he took those pictures, and captured her own images. This project is a way for her to connect with her father spiritually and emotionally, rather than physically.
The first trip in Hanoi in February 2021 & the latest trip in Nha Trang in December 2022
This year, she wants to do something special for her father. She hopes the “Daddy we are here” project will spread more widely to bring hope to less fortunate people with heart defects. To prove that the departure of a person, despite all the pain, can be a powerful motivation for those who stay, and a heart that has stopped beating can nevertheless produce new lives.
For babies born with congenital heart defects, life can continue with a heart surgery. Therefore, in collaboration with Vietnam Children’s Fund Social Enterprise and the Heartbeat Vietnam Program, the “Daddy we are here” project aims to raise 28,000,000 VND to support the surgery costs for a baby with congenital heart defects. Every contribution, big or small, is invaluable, contributing to saving the lives of children in difficult circumstances, providing strength to their mothers, and bringing a brighter future to their families.
All contributions for the “Daddy we are here” project can be sent to:
- Account Name: VCF SE CO LTD
- Account Number: 6666 01 9999
- Bank: Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank
- Branch: Ho Chi Minh City
- Remark: Contribution to the “Ba ơi con đây” campaign
I sincerely thank all the kind-hearted individuals who accompany me in this special campaign.
Best regards,
Cao Hoàng Minh Ngọc
