Nonagenarian fruit seller supported by people of Saigon

And some have even gone so far as to help her clean up after a day’s work.

"I don’t know who they are, where they came from, or why they’re helping me," said Tha, 92, who sells fruit on the sidewalk of An Duong Vuong Street in HCMC's District 6.

Next to her were two plastic bags containing milk, water, and snacks that people gave to her. It is also thanks to the kindness of strangers that for the past week she has been able to go home early and avoid the afternoon rain.

Luu Thi Tha selling fruit for a living on An Duong Vuong Street, District 6, HCMC, on the morning of July 26, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Ngan

In 2022, when a customer knew of Tha’s circumstances, they posted about it on social media. Since then, she has been receiving help from strangers occasionally, but recently her customer base has grown so much that they often line up around her.

When this happens, Tam Hoang, a 61-year-old woman who has sold drinks next to Tha for many years, runs over to help her serve customers, wrap orders, and reorganize the fruits. Every day, she gives Tha two cups of tea for refreshment.

Tha, born in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, said that her husband and five of her children all perished in the war. Only her 50-year-old youngest son remains, but due to being poisoned by the chemical Agent Orange, his brain never developed properly and he’s unable to work.

Two years ago, Tha was invited to stay with a friend in HCMC's Binh Chanh District, but her son was unhappy with this, demanding to return home so he could play with the children in his neighborhood.

Tha used to sell fruit in Tien Giang, but over the past few years people have been increasingly buying fruits from local orchards due to cheaper prices. Unable to compete, she decided to sell in HCMC in the hope of earning enough money for herself and her son.

Every day, she catches a coach from her house at 9 p.m., traveling over 70km to HCMC. The coach arrives at midnight, and then she sleeps by the sidewalk of Trieu An Hospital. At 4 am, she calls a motorbike taxi to go to An Duong Vuong Street to begin setting up her stall. Once she finishes for the day, the process begins all over again.

Tha talks about the strangers who have been silently helping her the last few days. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Ngan

She earns a profit of VND150.000-200.000 (US$6-8) every day, just enough to pay for her family’s daily expenses.

On the morning of July 26, Thanh, 30, drove 10km from District 3 to look for Tha’s fruit stall. When he arrived, there were about 5-6 people from other districts also there for her.

"She resembles my grandmother, so thin that I feel sympathy for her," Thanh said. He was there because he’d accidentally come across Tha’s story on social media the day before. He was so moved by it that he was determined to find her the next morning. He bought fruit for VND40.000, but gave Tha VND200.000 without asking for change.

Tieu Phung, 18, who stopped by to buy 2kg of mangoes, said she had to circle An Duong Vuong street many times before she found Tha. The young girl took the time to encourage the old woman before leaving.

Tha said that in the last few days a woman of about 40 years of age has been stopping by every day to hang a portion of banh bot loc (clear flour dumpling) on an electrical pole for her to eat breakfast.

Every day this week around 2pm, when almost all Tha’s fruit had been sold, a young man about 30 years old helped pack up and take out the trash before driving her to the bus station so she could go back to My Tho.

"I get to go home early and spend more time with my son, so I’m incredibly happy", Tha said.