A young boy was miraculously rescued after being swept away by floodwaters in the Han River (Da Nang) late on Tuesday night. The emotional footage of his rescue has since gone viral, touching hearts nationwide.
Dramatic midnight rescue on the Han River
At around 10 p.m. on October 29, amid heavy rain and flooding, several residents on Bach Dang Street, along the western bank of the Han River, spotted something floating in the water.
“I thought it was a fisherman in trouble, but then I realized it was a child’s head bobbing in the current,” said Ho Dang Minh T., one of the rescuers. “I didn’t have time to think — we just jumped in and pulled him out.”
Within seconds, three people worked together to drag the boy to safety. Shivering and soaked, the boy was still clutching a lollipop tightly in his hand.
A bystander gave him another candy, which he quietly unwrapped and began to eat — too shocked to respond to questions from rescuers.
Social media storm and emotional twist
The video posted by Ms. Minh T. quickly went viral on Vietnamese social media, drawing both praise and criticism. Some netizens accused rescuers of being “insensitive” or “asking too many questions,” while others shared unfounded claims that the boy had been “swept from Quang Nam Province.”
However, the boy’s mother, T.H.T., later clarified the situation.
“My son is a special needs child who doesn’t speak much. He loves water and had climbed over the Dragon Bridge railing before falling into the river,” she explained. “Please don’t spread false stories — and please thank those who risked their lives to save him.”
“Please don’t judge — just be grateful,” says the mother
That night, the mother had been working at home when she heard the door open. Realizing her son was missing, she ran out into the rain searching for him for over an hour.
“When I heard he’d been saved, I broke down in tears,” she said. “I just want to thank the people who helped. They didn’t hesitate — they saved my son’s life.”
Symbol of compassion amid the floods
The image of the boy holding his lollipop has since become a symbol of innocence and hope amid Da Nang’s stormy weather.
As one local resident wrote online:
“In the middle of floods and fear, seeing people risk everything to save a child reminds us that humanity still shines brightest in the darkest storms.”
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Source: Vietnam Insider