Every evening, after finishing his day’s work, Cong turns on his phone and computer, filled with hope and nervous anticipation.

Just days earlier, he posted an appeal in online groups for lost and missing persons, asking for help in finding his elder brother, Trinh Van Dao (born 1968), who left home in 1995 and never contacted his family again.

Dao was born into a large family in Thanh Hoa, the second of five siblings. Their father, Trinh Van Lai, was a local nurse in Hamlet 18, Xuan Tin commune, Tho Xuan district.

In 1985, Dao joined the army and was stationed in Lang Son province. After his service, he returned home, then moved to Lao Cai and Yen Bai to work.

He came back to his hometown in 1992 and got married. But the marriage quickly turned sour. After their first daughter was born, the couple frequently argued. When the girl turned three, they divorced.

Feeling depressed and overwhelmed, Dao entrusted his daughter to their parents and left again to seek work elsewhere.

At first, the family assumed he simply needed time and space, and that he would return once his life stabilized. But as months turned into years without a word, worry began to grow.

“We went searching for him in Yen Bai, Lang Son, and Lao Cai,” Cong said. “In 1998, we learned he had once rented a room with a woman named Truong Thi Thanh in Hong Bang Hamlet, Dai Dong commune, Yen Binh district, Yen Bai.”

Dao reportedly lived with Thanh as husband and wife and had a daughter with her. But by the time the family arrived, he was already gone - and had cut contact with Thanh and their child.

“We still keep in touch with Thanh,” Cong said. “But even she and their daughter haven’t heard from him since.”

Before he disappeared, Dao was in good health. But following his divorce, he began drinking heavily in an effort to cope with his sorrow.

Despite this, local residents in Hong Bang remembered him as friendly and well-liked. No one could understand why he left, or why he never reached out to anyone again.

Grieving parents and a final request

From the moment their son disappeared, Dao’s parents - Trinh Van Lai and Tran Thi Hao - were consumed by worry and longing. Every holiday and New Year passed in silence, incomplete without their son.

“My mother always believed he would come home,” Cong shared. “She held onto that hope until her final breath.”

Before they passed away, both parents made a final plea to Cong: “Please find your brother and bring him home.”

Now, with his parents gone, and his brother Dinh having also passed away, Cong feels more compelled than ever to fulfill their wish.

“If he’s still alive and well, we’ll reunite,” Cong said. “If he’s passed on, we just want to know where he rests - so we can visit him or bring him home.”

Over the years, Cong has returned to the same provinces - Lang Son, Lao Cai, Yen Bai - again and again, trying to trace even the smallest clue. But 27 years have passed with no word.

At the time of his disappearance, Dao was around 1.68 meters tall, had fair skin and slightly full lips. He was considered good-looking.

Because Dao had joined the army early, Cong didn’t have many shared memories with him. But he cherishes the few moments they did have.

“Whenever Dao came home on leave, he would wake me - day or night - just to chat,” he recalled. “I’d always ask to wear his army uniform and run around the village.”

Dao lived with their parents in a five-room wooden house. In 1989, their father built an extra wooden home for Dao behind the main house when he got married.

Both homes were constructed in the traditional Vietnamese style, made from fragrant Xoan wood, and stood back-to-back.

A message from a brother still searching

Through the press and social media, Cong has sent a heartfelt message to his missing brother:

“You’ve been gone for 27 years. Our parents never stopped waiting for you - not even at the end. Dinh is gone now too.

I, along with our sisters and your nieces and nephews, are always thinking of you, always searching. If you see this, please come home. If you’re struggling, I will come to you and bring you back.”

Anyone with information about Trinh Van Dao (born 1968) is kindly asked to leave a comment below or contact Trinh Van Cong at +84 963 428 379.

Ha Nguyen