>> Finally, a mended heart for the shoeshine boy
Nguyen Van Sao, also known as the "shoeshine boy", was released from the hospital on April 26 and aspires to become a good chef.
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| Sao was ready to get out of the hospital (Photo by H.Ngan) |
He remains slim but now his health is much improved after undergoing major heart surgery at the Hanoi Heart Hospital. His lips are not as blue as they used to be and his complexion has becomes brighter.
Sao said that finally, after so many years, he no longer feels pain in his chest and can breathe easily.
“I want to learn how to cook from a kind teacher," Sao shared adding that he would rather not share the teacher's name with reporters.
Ngo Thi Loc, who has been looking after after Sao said the Hanoi Department of Labour, Invalids & Social Affairs requested to send Sao to their Patronisation Centre where he can be taken care of and attend vocational courses. Many other kind-hearted people also jumped at the opportunity to adopt him, but Sao has not yet made his decision. At present, a person (who wishes to remain anonymous) has offered to teach Sao the cooking profession at his centre and to help him find a good job at a major hotel in Hanoi.
“After being discharged from the hospital, Sao will stay with me for a month to ensure his complete recovery, then he will visit his grandmother and return Hanoi to attend the cooking class,” added Loc.
According to Nguyen Sinh Hien, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Heart Hospital, current tests show that Sao’s health is improving and has stabilised comparably to a person with a healthy heart. However, he should refrain from hard work which could effect his incision and needs to go for periodical checks.
His total surgery costs were VND66 million ($3,422). His remaining donation of VND200 million ($10,371) was deposited in the bank by the Compassionate Heart Fund of Dan Tri/DTiNews online newspaper.
