A father's grief: All 15 of Vietnam war veteran's children affected by Agent Orange, 12 died

The television program 'Hanh trinh hy vong' (Journey of Hope) was broadcast live on Quoc phong Viet Nam (Vietnam National Defense) television channel to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam (August 10, 1961 - August 10, 2026) and in observance of the Day for Victims of Agent Orange.

The program highlighted the long-lasting consequences of Agent Orange while honoring the resilience of victims and their families as they continue to overcome illness and rebuild their lives.

Among the stories featured was that of Do Duc Diu, a war veteran from Quang Tri Province, north-central Vietnam, whose family's ordeal moved many viewers to tears.

Diu recalled that when he went to war, he feared neither combat nor death.

What he never imagined was that after peace returned, he would witness his children suffering from the effects of Agent Orange.

All 15 of his children were affected by the toxic chemical.

Twelve have died, while of the three surviving children, only one is healthy enough to have married and started a family.

"These were my children, and I brought them into this world. When they died, I believed it was because of me. I went to war, I was exposed to Agent Orange, and they inherited its effects from me.

"Because of that, I have to apologize to my children," he said while standing before the graves of his 12 children.

Reflecting on his life, the elderly veteran described his fate as cruel.

"Other families are surrounded by children and grandchildren. I can only look at my children lying here in the cemetery," he said.

His wife, Pham Thi Nuc, said she had never blamed her husband and instead felt deep sympathy for him.

However, losing child after child had caused unimaginable pain.

"I only wish I were as healthy as he is so I could help him more. I wish I could have died in my children's place so they could still be alive," she said.

According to Diu, each time one of their children died, his wife would collapse in grief. Once weighing about 50 kilograms, she now weighs only 32 kilograms.

His greatest concern now is who will care for his surviving children after he and his wife die.

"When we die, who will feed them? Who will give them water? Who will bathe them? Who will care for them?" he said, pointing to an empty plot beside the graves of his 12 children, adding that he had already planned where his remaining children would eventually be buried.

Appearing on the program, his 36-year-old daughter Do Thi Hang shared her own story.

"Looking at me standing here today, people may think I don't look disabled at all. But being able to stand here is the result of enormous efforts by both myself and my family," she said.

Hang was born partially paralyzed and spent much of her childhood bedridden, relying entirely on her parents for daily care.

She underwent eight surgeries before she was able to stand and speak as she does today.

She later had to undergo another operation to remove an ovary because of complications arising from a uterine tumor.

She said Agent Orange had taken away half her life, robbing her of opportunities for education, love, motherhood, and a normal future.

"There were times when I blamed fate and even blamed my father. I asked him why he had brought me into this world like this.

"He told me that if I suffered one part, he suffered ten. He said he only wanted to have children and never imagined this would happen. If he had known beforehand, my parents would never have had us," she recalled.

Those words changed how she viewed her parents' sacrifices.

She thanked her parents, doctors, and benefactors for fighting to save her life for more than a decade.

To pay for her treatment, her parents sold nearly everything they owned and even mortgaged their land-use rights certificate and pension book.

In 2015, after one of her surgeries, doctors told the family to prepare for her funeral.

Diu recalled that as the family was preparing to bury her, he repeatedly heard what he believed was his daughter's voice saying, "Dad, don't bury me. I'm still alive."

At first he thought he was imagining it, but after hearing it three times, he opened the coffin and discovered she was still breathing faintly. He rushed her back to the hospital, determined to save her life.

Hang said it broke her heart whenever people asked her parents what they wished for most and they answered that they hoped their children would die before they did, so they could continue caring for them until the end.

"I don't want my parents to have to make that wish," she said through tears.

Instead, she said she hopes her parents will remain healthy, that she and her siblings can live healthier lives, and that Agent Orange will no longer bring them further suffering or painful surgeries.

Today, Hang makes handmade postcards to sell and hopes to learn online sales to earn an income so her parents can be proud of her.

"Today I want to say something I have kept in my heart for a long time: Mom and Dad, I love you very much."

Agent Orange is a highly toxic herbicide used by the U.S. military as a defoliant during the war in Vietnam. It caused severe environmental and health impacts in Vietnam.

Approximately 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to Agent Orange. Since 1975, nearly one million people have died as a result of its effects, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims.

Hundreds of thousands of others continue to struggle with illnesses, while tens of thousands of children have been born with birth defects.

Incomplete statistics show that Vietnam currently has more than 850,000 second-generation victims, 350,000 third-generation victims, and around 500 fourth-generation victims of Agent Orange.