“My life has been full of low notes and tears, more than smiles. The most precious thing and my reason for living right now is my son, who grew up leaning on his mother’s thin but steady shoulders.”
This is how Duong Thi Cuong (mother of Dong Van Hung from the channel Mom’s Cooking) began her first Facebook post. She shared it publicly in a cooking forum as part of an online contest.
She continued, “I’ve spent my whole life doing hard farm work alone, tending fields, raising pigs and chickens, managing the household. I think I’m a Dragon by birth. People say Dragons are destined for great success, but maybe I’m just an earthworm dragon, stuck in the soil, handling all the heavy and light chores myself.”
In this heartfelt post, she revealed a lesser-known story about her and her son, whose YouTube channel has nearly 900,000 followers. Cuong shared that she became a single mom at 32, fighting the world alone to have, keep, and raise her child:
“Back then, things weren’t as open-minded as today. The village was full of whispers and harsh judgments, but I stayed silent and pretended not to hear. Hung’s grandmother was strongly against my pregnancy. I could only plead sweetly, saying, ‘Mom, I’m over 30 now, I promise this will be my only child. When you’re gone, I’ll have someone to lean on.’
Still, she didn’t approve. But I let it be. She’s my mother, and even if she scolded me, she wouldn’t abandon me. As for the neighbors, I kept quiet, worked hard, and pushed myself so no one could look down on me or my son.”
The days of childbirth and raising a sick child, protecting him from bullies, are filled with painful memories and tears for this YouTuber in her late 40s: “When Hung was born, our whole family had only 30,000 dong. After paying 10,000 to the midwife, the rest was just enough to buy a big pork knuckle and a cabbage to nourish me during confinement. Once that was gone, I had no choice but to gather wild herbs from the hills and roadside to boil and eat with rice.”
…
After many hard days of being both mother and father, woman and man, I never once thought I needed a man by my side. For me, Hung is my only happiness and comfort.”
Despite many hardships that could have broken her, this hardworking farmer woman stayed strong and resilient. After years of her son working far away, they finally reunited, working close together, making their family warmer:
“Since Hung came back to film videos about daily life and meals under the name ‘Mom’s Cooking,’ our lives have turned a new page.
I never hoped for fame. In the end, I’m just a simple country woman. I only do YouTube because my son enjoys it, and I support him. The greatest joy is being close to him, working and sharing daily ups and downs. Seeing him succeed makes me so happy.”
“I hope my story inspires and motivates other women, especially those in rural areas. Keep pushing forward, stay persistent and hardworking, and your efforts will be rewarded!”
This emotional post touched many readers. Below it, people expressed sympathy for her memories, some tearing up over what this small woman has endured, and sent warm wishes to both mother and son.
Finally, Duong Thi Cuong clarified that the post was actually shared by her son, YouTuber Dong Van Hung, based on his mother’s previous interviews. He hopes fans will continue to support both of them and the heartfelt story.
