Late one night in July, Thang's computer screen glowed. He was working against the clock to restore a photo of a fallen soldier from Ha Nam. A few days earlier, the soldier's family had contacted him, asking him to restore a badly damaged, almost unrecognizable photo for their ancestral altar. Unsure of the exact date of the soldier's death, the family observed the War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (27/7) as the anniversary of his passing. For decades, however, his altar had lacked a proper portrait.

37-year-old Le The Thang, from Sao Vang commune, accepted the request and promised to deliver the restored photo before the anniversary.

This was just one of hundreds of requests he has received over the past 10 years. Thang estimates he has restored over 500 portraits of fallen soldiers, never refusing a single family's plea.

Le The Thang restoring photos of fallen soldiers at his home in Sao Vang commune, Thanh Hoa province, July 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject

Le The Thang restoring photos of fallen soldiers at his home in Sao Vang commune, Thanh Hoa province, July 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject

Thang began this unique endeavor in 2015. A woman in her 90s, leaning on a cane, visited his photo studio in Sao Vang commune. With trembling hands, she placed the fragments of a black-and-white photograph, wrapped in a faded handkerchief, on his desk.

"Please save this photo," she pleaded, her voice faltering. "I just want to see my son's face clearly one more time before I die."

It was the only photo she had of her son. While not the most technically challenging restoration, it was the most emotionally resonant for Thang. He imagined the decades the mother had spent cherishing these fragmented memories and decided to restore the photo for free.

For a week, after finishing his work at the studio, Thang meticulously pieced the fragments together. He used photos of the soldier's relatives to reconstruct the missing features, constantly verifying his progress with the family. When he presented the restored image, the elderly woman took it, gazing at it silently. Moments later, she clutched it to her chest, her frail shoulders trembling, and sobbed, "It's my son."

Realizing his work went beyond photo restoration, allowing a mother to "reunite" with her son, Thang decided to offer his services free of charge to families of fallen soldiers.

His motivation also stemmed from his father, a veteran of the Quang Tri Citadel battle. Though fortunate to survive, his father suffered from the effects of Agent Orange, impacting his memory. Yet, the memories of his fallen comrades remained vivid.

"We live in peace thanks to the sacrifices of the previous generation. I want to do something to honor these fallen heroes," Thang explained.

The restored photo of Nguyen Van Vinh (1948-1968), from Phu Tho, who died in Quang Tri, restored by Thang in early 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject

The restored photo of Nguyen Van Vinh (1948-1968), from Phu Tho, who died in Quang Tri, restored by Thang in early 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject

Thang's greatest challenge is recreating portraits from photos nearly erased by time.

In one case, only a portion of the soldier's face remained. Thang worked for two nights, using photos of the soldier's two brothers, carefully blending their features and using his own judgment to reconstruct a complete face. "I was worried it wouldn't be accurate, that I would dishonor the deceased. But I was relieved when the family confirmed it was over 90% accurate," he recounted.

Initially, Thang offered his services locally. While on photography assignments, he would offer to restore faded portraits of fallen soldiers displayed in homes, free of charge.

Over the past three years, word of his work spread through social media, leading to a surge in requests, sometimes receiving up to 20 a day. He often works through the night to restore severely damaged photographs. A typical restoration takes 4-6 hours, but complex cases can take two or three days, requiring him to gather additional photos from relatives, meticulously comparing features and consulting with the family.

"This work is time-consuming and impacts my business, but I feel guilty if I refuse. Thankfully, my wife, children, and both our families support me because they know this is important work," he said.

While he doesn't recall the exact number, Thang estimates he has restored around 500 portraits in the last three years alone. He also covers the cost of printing, framing, and shipping the finished portraits to the families.

Recently, AI has become a valuable tool, streamlining the restoration process, especially for challenging photos. However, Thang emphasizes that AI is merely a tool. "To create a truly evocative portrait, nothing can replace human attention to detail and intuition," he stated.

Besides helping families in Thanh Hoa province, Thang receives requests from across Vietnam, from Hanoi and Nam Dinh to Ho Chi Minh City and Kien Giang.

Le The Thang delivering the restored portrait of Le Van Ngai (1949-1969) to his family in Tho Xuan, Thanh Hoa, in early July 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject

Le The Thang delivering the restored portrait of Le Van Ngai (1949-1969) to his family in Tho Xuan, Thanh Hoa, in early July 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject

In mid-June, Nguyen Duy Thang, 36, from Hanoi, contacted Thang to restore a photo of his grandfather who died during the war against the French. Initially skeptical, he and his family were moved to tears 10 days later when they received the strikingly lifelike and detailed portrait.

In late July, the family of Nguyen Thi Hanh in Thanh Hoa province was overjoyed to receive the restored portrait of Trinh Minh Tam, her husband's uncle, who died in 1968. Just three days after contacting Le The Thang, they received the digital file.

Hanh confirmed that everyone in the family agreed the portrait was a remarkable likeness of her uncle in his youth, far superior to a previously commissioned painting. "We are incredibly grateful to Thang and wish him good health so he can continue helping other families," the 32-year-old woman expressed.

For Le The Thang, the greatest reward isn't the thanks he receives, but the moment he sees elderly parents, some nearly 100 years old, holding their child's restored image, finding solace in their memories.

"I hope to continue using my skills to mend these fragmented memories, allowing these soldiers to 'return' fully to their families. As long as there's a need, I will continue," he affirmed.

Quynh Nguyen