A British tourist has praised a scrap collector in Ho Chi Minh City for helping him recover a pair of shoes he had accidentally left behind, despite the two being unable to speak the same language.
A video documenting the encounter has recently attracted millions of views and thousands of comments on social media. Many viewers praised the woman's determination and the lengths she went to in order to help the tourist recover his belongings.
Joe Brady, a British national living in Thailand, told Dantri/Dtinews that the incident happened during a recent trip to Ho Chi Minh City.
Joe had bought a new pair of Vans Half Cab shoes for nearly VND 3 million at a shop. Excited about his purchase, he decided to try them on and record a video to share on social media.
Before leaving, however, he accidentally left behind a box containing an older pair of shoes he had bought several weeks earlier.
“Several hours later, I realised I had left the box with the shoes inside. I wasn't familiar with the area, so I had to watch my video over and over again to work out where I had left them,” Joe said.
He returned to the area near the shoe shop but could not find the box on the pavement. As he searched, local residents helped him contact a woman who collected recyclable materials.
“She couldn't speak English but was incredibly helpful. We had to use an AI translation app to communicate. Based on my description, she was determined to find my belongings,” Joe said.
The woman pushed her cart, piled high with scrap materials, and led Joe through busy streets. Along the way, she repeatedly called fellow scrap collectors, patiently describing the box in the hope that someone would recognise it.
“After 40 minutes, she found the box on the cart of another woman who collects scrap. They had taken it because they thought the box had been thrown away,” Joe said.
Moved by the woman's kindness and persistence, Joe offered her a small sum of money as a gesture of thanks. She initially refused.
“I told her I wouldn't leave unless she accepted the gift. In the end, she reluctantly took the money. This special memory is something I will remember for the rest of my life,” he said.
Joe has a strong passion for travel and has visited Vietnam several times. What has impressed him most is the friendliness, warmth and willingness to help shown by local people.
Joe enjoys sitting down to sample street food (Photo: Provided by the subject).
He moved to Thailand four years ago and now runs two businesses in Bangkok. He said he enjoys living in Asia because of its scenery, food and warm climate throughout the year.
The incident is not the first time foreign visitors have received help recovering belongings left behind in Vietnam.
In January, Lao tourist Bounna Phanthavilay, born in 1986, was helped by police in Cam Lo Commune, Quang Tri Province, to recover belongings worth about VND 86 million.
According to Cam Lo Commune Police, Phanthavilay had stopped at a local restaurant during his trip to Vietnam and accidentally left behind a personal bag containing important documents and valuables worth an estimated VND 86 million.
He only realised what had happened while completing customs procedures at Lao Bao International Border Gate before returning home. He immediately sought help from the authorities.
Using the tourist's detailed description, Cam Lo Commune Police quickly identified the restaurant where he had left the bag and helped him recover his belongings.
After getting his possessions back, Phanthavilay expressed his deep gratitude in a handwritten letter to Cam Lo Commune Police. He also shared his positive impressions of Vietnam and its people, saying he hoped to return to the country soon.
