VietNamNet Bridge – For 15 years, Michel searched for his father in vain. Only two hours after posting information on Facebook, the German man had clues and found his Vietnamese father after nearly 30 years.

In 1980, Mr. Le Dai Phong, a resident of Thanh Hoa province, was sent to Dresden, Germany for an apprenticeship. Just a few months working in a factory, Phong fell in love with a German girl in the dorm named Anke. They became engaged in a local church.

After the course ended, Phong was ordered to return home to work. Whether he knew that Anke was pregnant, Phong had to leave Germany at the end of 1983. In early 1984, Anke gave birth to a son, Michel.

Growing up, Michel began asking his mother about his father who he had never met. In 1998, Michel was 14 years old when he began searching for his father through an old photo.

The only information he got from his mother is "your father’s name is Le Dai Phong. Prior to 1980 he worked at the TB Hospital in Thanh Hoa. In 1980-1982 he went to Germany for an apprenticeship in Dresden."

Michel never met his father but he loved him very much. He always took the old photo of his father with him. To visualize Vietnam, a friend of Michel drew a simple map, with only five places as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Hue and Saigon. Thanh Hoa – the father's homeland was circled.

He searched information from his parents' old friends but no one contacted with Phong. Michel also posted the information on the German TV channel RTL, but getting no results.

To visualize Vietnam, a friend of Michel drew a simple map, with only five places as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Hue and Saigon. Thanh Hoa – the father's homeland was circled.

Michel told his Vietnamese friends in Germany and asked for their help. Ms. Ngoc Diep, a Vietnamese living in Halle, was determined to help Michel reunite with his father.

Late in 2013, during her business trip to Vietnam, Diep began the search. She asked her adopted daughter in Vietnam to post their information on the Fanpage of Thanh Hoa people. More than 2 hours later, she received information that Phong was living in his hometown.

When she informed the news to Michel, the German boy cried out of happiness.

Nguyen Thi Trang, a female student of the Hanoi National University became one of the links to help Michel and his father reunite.

Reading the information on Facebook, Trang then told the story to her uncle Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, who used to work in Germany. Hang asked for information about Phong from her friends who also lived in Dresden during the period from 1980 to 1984.

Every day, Mr. Phong sees the photo of 8-month-old Michel.

Fortunately, Trang’s neighbor is a close friend of Phong in Germany and they still keep in touch with each other. When Trang showed him the photo of Phong, the neighbor immediately remembered the romantic love between his friend and Anke.

However, Trang wondered if Phong wanted to see his lost son or not. Once he saw the photo of Michel from his friend, Phong bursted crying.

At the age of 53, Phong had the best Tet in more than 30 years. Relatives and friends flocked to his small house in Thanh Hoa City to share Phong’s joy. Phong said that searching for his son is his lifetime wish.

Phong said: "On farewell, we stood at the airport and did not want to leave. Initially, we usually sent letters to each other. But due to the long distance, we lost contact.”

In Vietnam, due to economic difficulties, Phong could not perform his promise of reunion with his lover. Some time later, he married a local woman and they have three daughters.

In 1984, Anke sent his last letter enclosed a photo of his son. Behind the picture is the caption: "Dear Phong! This is your son at 8 months old."

Anke knew that Phong got married to another girl in Vietnam so she wished him happiness and informed to get married in Hungary. Since then, they lost contact.

The picture of Michel has been carefully kept by Phong’s father. On his last day, the man gave it to Phong’s wife and told her his wish of searching for the lost grandson. The last words of his father tormented Phong and his wife.

In Germany, Michel did not know that his father also quietly looked for him. Phong could not go to Germany so he asked his daughters to post information about Michel on the media and forums. At the end of 2013, Phong’s friend told him that Michel was looking for him on Facebook.

That day, through Ms. Diep, Phong had a phone call with Michel. They talked in German for a long time. The conversation was touched and teary and both did not want to hang up. At the end of the conversation, Phong cried, "I missed you too, my son!"

Michel and Ms. Diep.

Michel will be in Vietnam on April 17 to reunite with his father after more than 30 years. He is learning more Vietnamese to easily communicate with his father. Phong plans to take his son to visit their relatives, then the whole family will have a vacation in Ha Long. His three daughters are good at English so they regularly text and call their brother.

Since her husband found his stepson, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Xuan – Phong’s wife - shifted the burden of heart.

"I knew my husband's past but I accepted the marriage,” Xuan said.

Every day, Xuan burned incenses and prayed her father-in-law, wishing his support to find her husband’s son. Now that day has arrived and the wish of the family has come true.

The day Michel comes to Vietnam, she will pick him at the airport and welcome him home.

Source: VNE

Translated by Minh Thu