It was Sunday, January 8, 2006, a day off school and Nguyen The Thang was busy in the backyard moving some bonsai trees to plant in the front entrance. Tet, the Vietnamese traditional Newyear festival is coming in two weeks, and everyone is busy preparing their home for a new appearance to welcom the lunar new year.

While planting the third tree, Thang dug up something metal. The conical shape of the item attracted his curiosity. Thang bended down, picked it up for a close look. The item was a bit heavy, rusty looking and stuck with dirt. The 8 grade student sat down and tapped it against a rock to get loose the dirt. Beyond his expectation, the thing detonated right in his hand.

Thang was immediately transported to the commune aid station for first aids and forwarded to the provincial hospital for intensive treatment of his injuries. The doctors have saved his life but unable to keep his left hand as the blast had totally crushed it.

Thang is from Hoa Thuy commune, Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province. His village is just north of the former DMZ.