Ho Van Lang carries bananas which he grows in the forest home

In 1972, Lang's father, Ho Van Thanh, a 40-year-old soldier, took his three-year-old son into a forest in Quang Ngai Province's Tra Bong District after seeing the tragic death of his wife and two other sons when the US troops bombed his house. The father and son lived in the forest for over 40 years until being found and taken out on August 7, 2013 when the father was seriously ill.

 Ho Van Lang and his ill father were taken out of the forest in 2013.

After his father died, Lang, now 51, has lived with his younger brother's family in the central province of Quang Ngai.

Lang is still quiet and often smiles as a way to greet others. He has learnt how to use money and earn a living by growing vegetables and fruit by the forest where he used to live.

Lang's younger brother, Ho Van Tri said that Lang still misses the jungle life a lot.

"He walks three hours to the forest every day and stays there from early in the morning to late in the afternoon to grow fruit and vegetables," Tri said. "He can earn some money from selling his fruit and vegetables to local people."

The brother also said that Lang made little contact with other people.

"Lang has become quieter after the death of our father," Tri said. "They had been together for over 40 years in the forest so Lang was really shocked and depressed when our father died. Now whenever we talk about him, Lang is still very sad."

Some more photos of Ho Van Lang living with his younger brother in Quang Ngai Province: 

Lang smiles holding the money he earns from selling his fruits.

Dtinews