Nguyen Dinh Vuong did not enter first grade until he was 12, after an unusual skin condition earned him the painful nickname “snake boy.” Twelve years later, he has been admitted to study Graphic Design and has moved alone to Da Nang to begin an independent life.

A university dream that began with 10 ducks

In mid-August, inside a rented room in Da Nang, Nguyen Dinh Vuong, born in 2002 and from An Luong village, Tam Anh commune, placed his computer on a table beside several small stones he had brought from home.

The stones are keepsakes Vuong once received in exchange for one of his drawings when he had just started first grade. In the sparsely furnished room, they remind the young man of his friends and the long road that brought him here.

For more than a week, Vuong has been on his own, traveling from his hometown to the city center, looking for a room, finding his way to school and adjusting to life away from home. Once widely known as the “snake boy,” he has now been admitted to the Graphic Design program at Duy Tan University.

Vuong’s father, Nguyen Dinh Nhi, born in 1966, has lived with an unusual skin condition since childhood. According to Nhi, about two months after Vuong was born, his son began developing the same symptoms. The skin across his body thickens and peels, while his hands and feet contract. Whenever the weather changes, his skin cracks and itches, making walking and everyday activities difficult.

“Living with it myself was one thing, but it was far more painful to see my only child suffer from the same condition,” Nhi said. “I borrowed money and took him to many hospitals for tests, but we still never found the cause.”

Vuong also grew up largely without his mother. She suffered from mental illness, with periods of lucidity and confusion. After giving birth, she spent some time in southern Vietnam selling lottery tickets, but her condition worsened. Her family eventually brought her home to care for her, and she died when Vuong was still young.

From then on, father and son had only each other, living in difficult circumstances.

For years, their livelihood has depended mainly on their small plot of farmland, a monthly allowance of VND750,000 (about $29), and support from neighbors and benefactors.

Classified as a poor household, Vuong and his father have relied for years largely on their farmland, the VND750,000 monthly allowance and assistance from local residents and donors.

From an early age, Vuong loved paper and pencils. He would often visit neighbors to ask for spare paper so he could practice writing and drawing. Seeing how eager his son was to learn, Nhi repeatedly tried to get him into school, but at one point, people around them feared that Vuong’s condition might be contagious.

It was not until 2014, after the father and son’s circumstances were reported by the media and local authorities, organizations and individuals stepped in to help, that Vuong finally entered first grade at the age of 12.

On his first day at school, what frightened him most was how the other children might look at him.

“Before that, some kids would run away whenever they saw me because they were scared. They called me ‘snake boy’ because they thought my skin looked like a snake’s,” Vuong recalled. “Later, after the teachers explained things and encouraged everyone, many classmates began playing with me and became close to me.”

The shy boy gradually found his place and soon began showing a natural talent for art.

About 10 years ago, when Vuong was in second grade, his classmates learned about his difficult circumstances and pooled their money to buy him 10 ducks.

At the time, Vuong planned to raise the ducks for eggs and sell them, saving the money for university so that one day he could become an artist.

The 10 ducks are long gone, but the dream stayed with him throughout his school years.

For 12 consecutive years, Vuong was recognized as an excellent student. He also won prizes in drawing competitions and received a consolation prize in a district-level literature contest for outstanding students.

Bui Duc Chuong, Vuong’s homeroom teacher during his three years at Cao Ba Quat High School, described him as gentle and conscientious, with strong thinking skills and a particular gift for drawing.

When his condition caused severe pain, teachers allowed him time to rest or moved his seat to make him more comfortable. Some also gave him additional lessons free of charge.

“Vuong can be shy about his appearance and sometimes lacks confidence, but his academic ability and determination are remarkable,” Chuong said. “Most importantly, he draws beautifully. Graphic Design is a very suitable path for him.”

Starting university life at 24

When Vuong told his father he had been accepted into university, Nhi burst into tears.

“I was happy because my son had achieved his dream,” he said. “But I cried because I’m afraid that one day I won’t be strong enough to take care of him anymore.”

The father fell silent for a moment before continuing.

“He has suffered since he was little. All I want is for him to have a profession someday and not have to depend on anyone. If he can support himself and help his father a little, I’ll be content.”

After moving to central Da Nang to begin university, Vuong has had to manage everything himself.

Following several days of searching, he found a room for VND2.5 million (about $95) a month. Because his condition makes some aspects of daily life difficult, Vuong chose to live alone, partly because he feels uncomfortable sharing a room with others.

He shops for groceries, cooks his own meals and carefully calculates every expense. He generally cooks enough rice and food once a day to last until evening, limiting himself to one dish each day to save money.

“My dad is still back home working in the fields. I’ve come here to study, so I need to take care of myself as much as I can,” Vuong said.

His biggest concern now is finding a part-time job to help his father cover his education costs.

“I just hope someone will look at what I can do, rather than looking at my illness,” Vuong said. “If I can find suitable work, I’ll do my best to earn some money toward my studies.”

When neighbors heard that Vuong had become a university student, they came to congratulate him. Some quietly pressed a little money into his hand; others offered words of encouragement.

Pulling several hundred thousand dong from his pocket - money neighbors had given him before he left for university - Vuong said: “They have difficulties of their own, but they still care about me. I’ll do my best at school because I don’t want to disappoint the people who have helped me.”

A decade after the schoolboy first imagined raising ducks and selling eggs to save for university, a computer now sits on the desk of his rented room in Da Nang.

Vuong is preparing to begin his Graphic Design studies, bringing him one step closer to the dream of becoming an artist that he has carried since his earliest days at school.

Ha Nam