BackStories » Vietnam » [Video] Island Man Creates Dogsled Wheelchair to Get Around

[Video] Island Man Creates Dogsled Wheelchair to Get Around

Ten years ago, Bui Van Hue was a healthy farmer on Quang Ngai's Ly Son Island. But after a diving accident left him without the use of his legs, life became hard for the fisherman.

The island's roads left much to be desired for the wheelchair-bound Hue, and he struggled to use his arms to push the wheelchair and navigate the island's many obstacles, reports VnExpress.

Stuck at home, Hue came across a TV program one day featuring dogsleds. As they glided across the ice, Hue was struck with the idea that perhaps he could replicate the dog-powered vehicle for himself. Creating a rig for his project, the fisherman began to train a trio of canines to pull him around.

It took Hue roughly two or three months to train the dogs who now pull him around the island. Though it's been a lot of trial and error – he can sometimes fall out of the wheelchair when the dogs go too fast – Hue is thankful for the dogs, who have provided him with a new lease on life.

“Thanks to them, I can travel around,” Hue told VnExpress. “They are really helpful for me.”

Hue now earns a living raising crabs and making fishing nets.

[Video via VnExpress]


Related Articles:

Profits and Contradictions: Inside SE Asia’s Dog Meat Trade

Tourists Sustaining Vietnam's Dog Meat Trade

Tan Son Nhat Authorities Kill Dog for Trespassing on Airport Property


Related Articles

in Vietnam

$14 Million Approved For Restoration Of Hanoi’s 112-Year-Old Long Biên Bridge

The fate of one of Vietnam’s most beloved and storied structures took another positive turn last week when the government approved a $14 million restoration package for Long Biên Bridge.

in Vietnam

'Amazing Race Vietnam' Apologizes for Challenge Harming Coral Reef

An underwater challenge during this year’s installment of The Amazing Race Vietnam is not sitting well with environmentalists.

in Vietnam

'Engaging With Vietnam' Conference Ruminates on Heritage in Huế

“Living with Heritage, (Re)Creating Heritage: Vietnam and the World” is the title of the 14th Engaging with Vietnam conference, a series of activities including academic panel discussions, keynote tal...

in Vietnam

1.2m Vietnamese Move to Cities a Year: Report

Up to 1.2 million Vietnamese migrate to cities each year, according to a recent report.

in Vietnam

10 Killed, Over 30 Missing in Central and Northern Vietnam as Storm Son-Tinh Brings Flash Floods

Heavy rains from storm Son-Tinh, which eventually weakened to a tropical depression, have caused flash floods and fatalities in central Vietnam.

in Vietnam

104-Year-Old Great-Great Grandmother Fights Off Robber

Taking advantage of the elderly will inevitably result in some bad karma, a lesson a Dong Nai man quickly learned after attempting to rob Vo Thi Bai, a 104-year-old woman.

Partner Content