A man in Ho Chi Minh City has become a favorite at his restaurant and touched people with his optimism in overcoming the legacy of Agent Orange on his health.

Dang Thanh Le, 47, whose cognition is underdeveloped due to the wartime legacy of dioxin from his father, has worked at a pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) restaurant in Go Vap District for the last three years.

Le, who is also called Hai, has made a deep impression on the restaurant staff as well as its diners thanks to his disciplined work ethic and trademark white T-shirt and staff card.

The waiter works two shifts per day, at 6:00 am and then again at 4:00 pm, no matter how sunny or rainy the weather is.

When he was recruited, Hai got up at midnight to prepare for his first day of work at the restaurant.

The restaurant owner said Hai’s motivation is getting his job done as well as possible and not accepting help from anyone.

“Hai always arranges tables, chairs and the spice jars in order,” she said, adding the emotional waiter will cry if someone disturbs them.

According to the owner, Hai is a very nice and funny guy who has never got angry with anybody.

“He sometimes sings while working, which helps lift the mood of our staff and diners,” she said.

The story of the optimistic waiter has been shared on the Internet and received admiring comments from hundreds of people.

While some comments say it is unfair for Hai to earn a living while he has such an illness, Hai’s mother said he always wanted to land a job and help people.

“In our family, Hai is a son and a brother whom we will love for the rest of our life,” Hai’s mother replied to the comments which she found hurtful. “I want my son to communicate with society, to learn, and to have friends who will talk to him to make him comfortable and love this life.”

She said since the day Hai started to work at the pho restaurant, he has been very happy and lived much more positively.

“He has a feeling that he has to do good things, enthusiastically and voluntarily,” his mother added, saying Hai often helps his neighbors with their daily chores.

Moreover, he also has a hobby of singing and has equipped himself with an area to practice with a microphone and amplifier at home.

An inspiration of his family, Hai has also inspired other people with his pure heart and positive attitude to life.

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