Bui Minh Son and his wife, Hoang Thi Cai, believe Sarah Lou could be their daughter.
After reading the story of Sarah Lou, born Bui Thi Hoa, who recently appealed to Dantri to find her biological family, Bui Minh Son and his wife, Hoang Thi Cai, from Hy Cuong Commune in Phu Tho Province, believed she could be their daughter.
Speaking to Dantri, Cai confirmed that she gave birth to a daughter in early 2003 at Lam Thao Hospital, naming her Bui Thi Hoa. Due to the passage of time, she can no longer remember her exact birth date.
"Back then, we were in financial hardship and already had seven children. I gave her up to an orphanage in the hope she would have a better life," Cai recalled.
As she revisited her memories, Cai broke down in tears.
Cai shared that giving up the child left her with years of guilt and sorrow. "We never had any information about her, so we never dared to hope for a reunion," she said.
According to Cai, both she and her husband are now elderly and rarely read the news or use social media. But after neighbours and family members informed them of Hoa's story, they were overwhelmed with joy and could not sleep.
"I'm eager to take a DNA test. If the result confirms the match, we are ready to welcome her back. There is no greater happiness than a family reunion," she said.
The couple have seven children. Bui Thi Hoa is their youngest. Their now adult children have eased the family's financial burdens.
Ngoc Hoang, the couple's son-in-law, expressed his joy upon hearing that his sister-in-law is seeking to reconnect with her roots.
"Everything Hoa shared matched our family's story. We sincerely hope the DNA test will confirm the connection so the two sides can be reunited after over 20 years apart," he said.
Initially, Hoang's parents-in-law were hesitant and emotionally unprepared for the sudden possibility of reuniting with their long-lost daughter. But with support from relatives, Son and Cai agreed to move forward with the reunion if the DNA test confirmed the match.
The family has also faced some pressure over the past two days, receiving dozens of phone calls from acquaintances verifying the story.
Hoang said he had previously heard from neighbours about the adoption of a younger sister in the family. Out of respect and concern for his parents-in-law's feelings, the topic was never brought up again.
"My parents-in-law have long lived with the pain and guilt of giving up a child. They were afraid of being judged by neighbours. But now they have regained emotional strength and are ready to accept her back," he added.
Waiting for the DNA results
Upon learning from Dantri that Son and Cai matched the records she held, Sarah Lou was stunned. She had not expected the search to yield results so quickly.
Sarah Lou when small and at present
"At first, I thought it would take months to find my parents. I couldn't sleep last night; my emotions were overwhelmed as I imagined what the reunion might feel like," she said.
Despite the many matching details, Sarah Lou, born in 2003, said she would wait for the DNA test results before confirming the relationship.
She has been searching for her biological parents for several years, but without Vietnamese language skills or the financial means to return to Vietnam, she turned to Dantri for help.
"I'm full of hope that they are my parents. I am deeply grateful to Dantri and the people of Phu Tho for their heartfelt support," she said.
Sarah Lou, born Bui Thi Hoa, originates from Thanh Dinh in Lam Thao District, now located in Hy Cuong Commune, Phu Tho Province. She was born on January 22, 2003, at Lam Thao Hospital.
In 2005, she was adopted by a French couple.
She is currently completing her undergraduate degree in Bordeaux, France, and will begin a master's degree in communications this September.