Vietnamese Man Keeps Life-Sized Figure of Late Wife at Home for Nearly Two Decades
A Vietnamese man who struggled to cope with the death of his wife reportedly created a life-sized figure containing her remains and kept it beside him at home for years, in a story that has attracted widespread attention.
The man, identified as Le Van, lost his wife, Pham Thi Sang, unexpectedly in early 2003. The couple had married in the 1970s, raised seven children and spent nearly three decades together.
Following her death, Van reportedly began spending nights beside her grave, returning to the cemetery for months because he found it difficult to cope with her absence.
His children eventually tried to stop him, expressing concern about his well-being. However, he reportedly struggled to stay away from his wife’s burial place.
In late 2004, Van reportedly removed his wife’s remains from the grave and used plaster, clay and other materials to create a life-sized figure that he said contained her remains.
He then brought the figure into his home and placed it beside him in bed.
According to accounts of his life, the practice continued for years. Van reportedly changed the figure’s clothes, applied makeup to it and spoke to it, treating it as a reminder of his late wife.
His unusual actions reportedly unsettled some neighbours when they became aware of his routine. Local authorities also urged him to return his wife’s remains to a proper burial place, but he was reluctant to do so.
By 2022, Van was elderly, experiencing health problems and using a wheelchair. Reports from that period indicated that he was still caring for the figure, nearly two decades after his wife’s death.
His story has prompted different reactions, with some viewing his actions as an extraordinary expression of devotion, while others see them as a reflection of the profound impact that grief can have on a person’s life.
Van’s experience highlights how deeply people can be affected by the loss of a loved one and the different ways they attempt to cope with the absence of someone who played a central role in their lives.
Vietnamese Man Keeps Life-Sized Figure of Late Wife at Home for Nearly Two Decades