15-year-old teenager cycles from Ha Giang to Hai Phong
Due to their working requirements, many parents have to be geographically distant from their children.
Not only is remote parenting a big challenge for parents, but it is also difficult for children. Many kids are unable to handle the absence of their parents and struggle emotionally.
Such was the case for Hoang Van Quyen, a 15-year-old student in Ha Giang. Missing his mom, who was working out of town, the bold teenager cycled hundreds of kilometers to see her.
Here’s how the story unfolded.
Teenager cycled 200KM to Phu Tho and lost his bicycle
The daring teenager at the police station
Image credit: Ngoi Sao
Quyen’s mom, 38-year-old Nong Thi May, works in Hai Phong.
Since Quyen was on summer break, he decided to visit his mom, who was living 400KM away.
On 23rd June, Quyen embarked on his arduous journey on a bicycle hoping to find his mom.
After pedaling about 200KM, the boy reached Phu Tho Province. Exhausted after a long ride, he fell asleep. When he woke up, he found both his bicycle and rucksack stolen. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with neither money nor transportation, Quyen was in dire straits.
Fortunately, some passers-by learned of his situation and gave him a ride to Hanoi, from which he travelled to Hai Phong.
He wandered around in a strange city to find his mom
Quyen was found wandering in this area at 2 in the morning.
Image adapted from: Google Maps/ Lynk Kòi
When Quyen reached Hai Phong, he wandered around the streets looking for his mom’s residence.
At 2AM on 26th June, 2 policemen spotted Quyen walking past their station near Vo Nguyen Giap Bridge. Surprised to see a teenager on the street in the wee hours, they called him over.
After hearing his story, the policemen helped him locate his mom’s residence based on the given address.
However, his mom had already left Hai Phong for Ha Giang.
The courageous teenager got a new bicycle
Image credit: Thanh Pho Hai Phong
The policemen contacted Quyen’s family and learned that they were looking for him everywhere. While waiting for his parents to come fetch him, the policemen took Quyen to the police station of Duong Kinh District and offered him food.
“I know that it was a long journey but I missed my mom very much. I needed to see her so I pedaled to Hai Phong to see her,” Quyen explained to the policemen.
Image credit: Thanh Pho Hai Phong
At 5PM on 27th June, Quyen reunited with his mom and dad, according to Thanh Pho Hai Phong.
Image adapted from: Phu Nu Today
Before bidding farewell to the brave teenager, the policemen bought him a new bike and rucksack to make up for his loss during his incredible journey.
Make plans in advance for long-distance journey
All’s well that ends well.
A boy who missed his mom finally reunited with her, and thanks to his amazing dash of craziness, gained an unforgettable summer adventure. Kudos to the caring police officers, without whom the boy’s desperate search for his mom in a strange city would have gotten him into dangerous places.
While the teenager’s courage is admirable, his lack of forethought when taking on such a long journey all by himself is not recommendable.
Before you take on a long-distance road trip, make plans in advance and inform your family members about your itinerary.
Also check out:
- Mom misses Hue, architect son recreates Hue citadel in his garden
- Grandfather goes missing for 3 months, family finds him on TikTok
- Family of 4 quit jobs & live as nomads on bikes in Vietnam
- Highschool dropout passes graduation test with flying colors
- 4-year-old hangs off a balcony, onlooker tries to catch her
- Student caught having sex during online class
Cover image adapted from: Thanh Pho Hai Phong
Enjoying The Smart Local Vietnam? Follow us on Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more stories like this. If you have a story to share, email us at pressvn@thesmartlocal.com.