Mai Thanh Dung: The teacher of the stars, the husband is bedridden, the U70 is sick, struggling to make a living

At the age of U70, artist Mai Thanh Dung suffered from many diseases but still did not want to bother her students.

Teacher of the stars

Artist Mai Thanh Dung was born in 1958, in Saigon, in a family where no one did art. When she was young, she studied well and dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but because of many events, at the age of 16, she transferred to study dialogue at the Saigon National School of Music & Drama.

In 1976, she worked as a teaching assistant in performing techniques at the College of Theater & Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City. After graduating from directing in 1980, she was retained at the school for theatrical voice.

Because she soon became a teacher, she had many students, in which, there were many big stars such as Hong Dao, Minh Nhi, People's Artist Hong Van, Meritorious Artist Huu Chau, artist Trung Dan and many generations of young artists. This.

While teaching, artist Mai Thanh Dung is still engaged in acting. When she was young, she had a beautiful, elegant Western-style face and slim body, so she specialized in being assigned a beautiful peach role. However, after giving birth, she suffered from spinal pain that needed to be treated with medication. The side effects of the drug caused her to gain weight rapidly.

That incident seemed to make Mai Thanh Dung give up her acting career, but then she was invited by director Dang Nhan to play the role of comedian Niculina in the play "Public opinion". Her comedic charm captivated the audience.

Since then, Mai Thanh Dung has made a deep impression in the public's eyes through the image of an oversized actor with a kind, charming or humorous personality.

The role of Mrs. Tu in the movie "Southern Land" is one of the "heavy" roles both literally and figuratively in her acting journey. Besides, she has many other impressive roles.

Had to open 2 positions at the same time: Life is fragile

It was her large body that made the audience love the artist Mai Thanh Dung, but it was also the cause of her health problems. It caused her to have diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal pain and the most serious disease, heart disease. For a long time, because she loved her job, she hid her illness and worked hard.

Until one day a few years ago, she couldn't stand it anymore, had to take a break to treat her illness. However, with the dignity of an artist, she does not want to complain, so few people know the real situation she faces. She retreated to a private, quiet corner.

Artist Mai Thanh Dung said: "In 2002, I had a heart attack, the emergency doctor checked me, and discovered that I had lost an artery. The doctor asked me if I had ever had a heart attack before. No, I said no.

But then I remember on New Year's Eve 2000, I was cold, sweaty, dizzy, short of breath. The doctor said I had a heart attack without knowing it, only a miracle, I survived but it destroyed one of my arteries.

The doctor put a stent (roughly understood: stent - PV) in my heart and told me to change it 5-7 years later. I was busy and found that my heart did not respond, so I used that stent until 2020, which is nearly 20 years.

Recently, my health deteriorated, when I went to the heart hospital for a check-up, my heart was severely damaged, had to have leg surgery, get a stent to put in my heart. That means open surgery in two locations. I have been diabetic for many years and now my health is weak, I don't know if I can stand the surgery.

More than 20 years ago, I operated on my spine, pus and blood stagnate in the wound for 5 months to heal. Now that the surgery is going to two places at the same time, I'm afraid I can't make it through. Without surgery, I still feel that my life is very fragile."

Many generations of students are grateful together

The life of artist Mai Thanh Dung on the screen is very fun and charming, but in real life, there are many ups and downs. She fell in love with and married lecturer Ha Van Ngoc Suong, who was in charge of teaching art history at Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts. Both of them are lecturers and artists, so they don't make much money.

In 1988 she and her husband saved up money to open a pharmacy, but in 1997, it had to close. At that time, she had two small children, and lost an important source of income, so the family faced many difficulties. In that context, she and her husband were still trying to raise their two children to adulthood, but both fell ill.

Currently, Mr. Ha Ngoc Suong has a serious stroke and lies motionless. So the livelihood is forced to rely on the youngest son, the voice artist Ha Mai Quang Vinh, and the daughter who is abroad.

Quang Vinh is a good son, but the income of a voice actor is only enough to handle under normal conditions. Meanwhile, the cost of medicine for a seriously ill father and mother is a huge amount.

Artist Mai Thanh Dung's eldest daughter is very filial like her younger brother, but she gave birth to 3 children in turn, but living abroad has too many expenses, so she only supports her parents in her ability. permission.

Understanding the plight of artist Mai Thanh Dung, her many generations of students are campaigning together to do something to be grateful.

Artist Trung Dan is one of a few students who know his teacher's illness. In one day at the end of March, he quietly visited and then informed the former students of artist Mai Thanh Dung.

Recently, on the Youtube channel of comedian Nhat Cuong, he has uploaded a clip of him and artist Hoang Son and some friends of the K8 drama class (1984) of Theater 2 School visiting the house of his former teacher who is an artist. Mai Thanh Dung.

Artist Mai Thanh Dung is now old and weak, but still smiling when she sees her former student visiting. She excitedly said:

"The fact that she was sick until now everyone knew, no one knew before.

The students blamed her too much, asking why she was tight-lipped, but now she doesn't talk much and doesn't want to share her illness with everyone around her. No one knew she was sick.

Only on the day she was hospitalized, for some reason, the news leaked out, so the children knew, called to ask and then spread the word to each other. Maybe that's why the children came to visit her today, she was very touched."

Ho Minh Quang: Minh Nhi's "giant student", U40 is just starting out in the profession Trí Nhi16:54:29 22/06/2024Ho Minh Quang was once called by the press as Minh Nhi's rich student because he was a successful businessman, but if anyone understands him, he will see that Ho Minh Quang is also an emotional and rich tycoon. spirit of learning and progress.