(VOVworld) – Phung Van Truong has both leg and arm disabilities and he is confined to a wheelchair. Despite his disability Truong has learned to write with his mouth and after years of painstaking efforts he has become a teacher in Nhan Ly hamlet on the outskirts of Hanoi. Hien Phuong reports:

These are students who attend the free class of disabled teacher Phung Van Truong. Truong was born with myasthenia and had to give up school when he was in the 8^th grade because both his legs and arms became paralyzed. After he watched a TV show about extraordinary individuals he became a fan of teacher Nguyen Ngoc Ky who could write and do other things with his feet. Truong told himself that he would do his best to learn to write with his mouth: “Despite his arm disability, teacher Ky worked hard to learn to write with his feet. If he could do it, why couldn’t I? He was an example for me to follow.”

Truong tried to hold the pen with his mouth and failed numerous times. After months of practice his efforts finally paid off. Truong said: “It’s important to hold the pen firm in order to control it. I hold the pen with my teeth and use my neck to move the pen along the shapes of the characters.”

Truong’s writing is quite beautiful. He has been teaching his nieces and nephews and his neighbors’ children to write beautifully. He also teaches them other subjects. The children can come to his house anytime after school. Truong is teaching a class of 10 from grade 1 to 5 free of charge. Hoang Van Toan, a 4^th grader, said: “I like Mr. Truong so I come to his class. He teaches me mathematics, writing, and reading. Although I have been attending his class for just one month, I’ve already made some progress. His lessons are very easy to understand.”

Although Truong’s class is casual, people in his neighborhood call him teacher and admire his beautiful writing. His students’ parents say they want their children to learn not only just how to read and write but Truong’s attitude toward life and strong will to move forward.