The now-viral video documenting the long-distance journey was posted by Ma Seo Lu (born 1996), who lives in Lao Cai. The elderly man in the video is Lu’s grandfather, Mr. Lu, currently residing in Krong A commune, Dak Lak province.

Lu revealed that he was the one who accompanied his grandfather on the journey to meet his online sweetheart - an unusual love story that has touched many.

Mr. Lu, a member of the Hmong ethnic group, was born in Lao Cai and relocated to Dak Lak in 2003. He has six children - three sons and three daughters - most of whom live nearby. Lu’s mother, however, lives in Lao Cai with her own family.

Mr. Lu’s wife passed away five months ago. At the beginning of January 2026, Lu received word that his grandfather was planning a visit to Lao Cai. What surprised him more was learning from relatives that the trip included a stop in Son La - to meet a woman Mr. Lu had met online.

“My grandfather took a bus alone from Dak Lak to my home in Lao Cai, just as we’d arranged,” Lu recalled. “He stayed for a week, then asked me to take him to Sơn La to meet his online girlfriend.”

With support from his mother and other family members, Lu and another relative drove Mr. Lu by motorbike through mountainous, rugged terrain - about 300km from Lào Cai to Chiềng Khoong commune, Sơn La.

There, Mr. Lu arrived at the home of Ms. Sung Thi My, a 51-year-old woman living alone in a modest house. As promised, they finally met in person.

“Because they had been talking for a while, things felt natural between them,” Lu said. “She even cooked a meal for us.”

After lunch, Lu and his uncle went sightseeing, leaving Mr. Lu to spend two days with Ms. My. By the end of that stay, the couple felt they were well-matched and decided to move in together.

Lu helped arrange a visit with Ms. My’s family - her mother and older brother - to seek their blessing. With the family’s approval, Mr. Lu formally brought Ms. My home.

“Her family was very supportive of the relationship,” Lu said. “Once everything was settled, I brought my grandfather back to my place for one night, then he boarded a bus with Ms. My to return to Đắk Lắk and begin their life together.”

“Mom is gone - Dad needs someone to share his life”

Since his father returned with Ms. My, Ly Seo Ky (born 1981), Mr. Lu’s fourth son, says their family home has felt warmer and more joyful.

His mother passed away five months ago due to old age, and Mr. Lu had been living alone with his daughter, who has a disability. Though his other children live nearby, they were unable to be by his side around the clock.

“We’d all agreed: now that Mom is gone, we need to help Dad find a new companion,” Ky shared. “So when we heard he had met someone online, we were actually very happy for him.”

At the beginning of January, Mr. Lu gathered his children and told them about his plan to travel to Son La to meet the woman. While they couldn’t go with him, they supported the decision and arranged for him to take a bus to his granddaughter’s house in Lao Cai before continuing the journey with Lu’s help.

“While Dad was away, I couldn’t stop worrying,” Ky admitted. “Even though I knew the itinerary, I kept calling to check in.”

When Ky learned that his father had received approval from Ms. My’s family and planned to bring her home, he eagerly waited for updates.

“I called him and asked, ‘Did everything go well, Dad?’ and he said, ‘All went perfectly.’ That’s when I finally felt relieved.”

When Mr. Lu and Ms. My returned to Dak Lak, the family welcomed her warmly. Ky’s household prepared three full tables of food to celebrate the newest member of the family.

“The person my dad brings home, I call Mom. That’s only natural,” Ky said.

In the days since, Ky has noticed their family home is tidier, more vibrant - thanks to the presence of a woman who brings warmth and care. He’s grateful his father now has someone to share his days with and hopes the rest of his life will be filled with happiness.

Thanh Minh