Tribute Notes Bidding Farewell to a Great Teacher
During the days of mourning for Teacher—People's Teacher, Prof. Nguyễn Đình Hối, MD, PhD—I was tasked with supporting logistics, guiding visitors after paying their respects, and managing the Condolence Book. I watched as mourners finished their tributes, seated themselves at the tables, and meticulously penned pages of heartfelt farewell to the Teacher with a wealth of deep emotion. After the funeral, I had the fortune of digitizing the Teacher’s Condolence Book. I sat and read every single page of a volume nearly 400 pages thick. The book is far more than a repository for post-mortem condolences. Every sheet of paper is a fragment of memory, every stroke of the pen is an expression of gratitude, and every word is an authentic slice of the life of a master who dedicated nearly an entire century to surgery, education, and Vietnamese medicine.
Reading through the entire condolence book, what left a profound impression was neither the sheer volume of visitors nor the prestigious titles densely dotting every page. What left readers silenced was the uncanny uniformity in how everyone spoke of Professor Nguyễn Đình Hối. Whether former State Presidents, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, health sector leaders, colleagues, or students, all converged on a single point: they were not merely mourning a scientist; they were bidding farewell to a great teacher and a towering character.
Right from the opening pages, I encountered the farewell tribute from former President Nguyễn Minh Triết. In just a few concise lines, he fully captured the Teacher's portrait, calling him "a comrade, a friend, and a physician devoted to his profession for a lifetime." What is most precious is that his farewell made no mention of academic ranks, degrees, or the positions the Teacher once held. What was emphasized instead was the worth of a human being universally loved and respected by comrades, friends, and colleagues. Perhaps that is the greatest reward an individual can receive after a lifetime of dedication.
Following the opening pages were the condolences from the leadership of Ho Chi Minh City. Former Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Nên acknowledged Professor Nguyễn Đình Hối's immense contributions to training, administration, and scientific research for the city’s and the nation’s healthcare sector. Behind those concise words lay recognition for the man who helped lay the foundations for Ho Chi Minh City's modern medical training system—from university lecture halls, practice hospitals, and operating rooms to international cooperation programs.
Meanwhile, former Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee Võ Thị Dung, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee Văn Thị Bạch Tuyết, and numerous other leading comrades consistently used familiar phrases such as "infinite grief," "heartfelt condolences," and "deepest sympathies." Though seemingly modest, these sentiments, when appearing consecutively across numerous pages of the condolence book, became testament to the genuine affection held by city leaders for an exemplary physician who dedicated his life to public healthcare.
If municipal leaders viewed the Teacher through the lens of his monumental contributions to the country and city, medical professionals spoke of him using the language of professional devotion. In those memorial notes, the image of a teacher, an elder brother, and a colleague emerged far more vividly than all the titles ever bestowed upon him.
Former Minister of Health Trần Thị Trung Chiến called the Teacher "an esteemed elder brother, teacher, and colleague." She affirmed that generations of physicians have studied and followed the Teacher's example. This is no longer mere professional recognition, but confirmation of an influence transcending generations—something very few can achieve in a lifetime.
Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Tăng Chí Thượng emphasized the Teacher's role in guiding, uplifting, and inspiring successive generations of students. Through those words, Professor Nguyễn Đình Hối emerged not only as an exceptional surgical expert but as an igniter of flames, a sower of the very first seeds for generations of doctors to continuously cultivate for the medicine of the city and the nation.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the condolence book is the presence of numerous tributes from universities, hospitals, and medical training institutions nationwide. His successors at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City all wrote with absolute respect and gratitude. They called him "Teacher," "a monument," and "the fire-bringer." These are titles forged not by administrative decrees or certificates of merit, but kindled from memory, awe, and the gratitude of generations of students.
Perhaps few condolence books witness the title "Thầy" (Teacher) appearing with such staggering frequency. Not "Professor," nor "Doctor," "Rector," or "Director." In nearly all the farewells, people addressed him solely by that simple yet sacred title. In Vietnamese culture, the title "Thầy" transcends all professional ranks. It is an acknowledgment of intellect, ethics, character, and the capacity to transform human lives. When hundreds of people across different generations unanimously call a person by that title, it demonstrates that the greatest legacy left behind is found not in scientific works or lofty accolades, but within the hearts of one's students.
The more I read, the more I recognized another common thread across almost all the memorial notes: very few praised the Teacher with flowery adjectives or itemized achievements. Instead, they referenced his dedication, benevolence, humility, spirit of service, and the sincere way he treated colleagues, students, and patients alike. This repetition carries a powerful persuasive force. When hundreds of independent individuals point to the exact same qualities, it ceases to be mere polite praise and becomes the true portrait of a great character.
Some memorial entries consisted of only a few sentences yet deeply moved the reader. One person wrote: "Brother, you are a model for generations of physicians to study and follow." Another called the Teacher "An exemplary teacher," another invoked the teaching "A good physician is like a loving mother," and another affirmed, "The Teacher leaves behind an immeasurably precious legacy." Even those who simply wrote: "Infinite grief." Within the space of a condolence book, such brief utterances sometimes carry more emotional resonance than lengthy eulogies.
For those who have served and continue to serve at University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital Ho Chi Minh City like myself, the condolence book evoked a uniquely personal emotion. We were reading not only about the life of a medical luminary, but about the person who laid the very first bricks to build the common home that thousands of officials, staff, and workers continue to safeguard and develop today. Every department, every lecture hall, and every operating room in today's hospital bears, to varying degrees, the imprint of the governance mindset, educational philosophy, and spirit of service that the Teacher labored to cultivate.
Thus, the condolence book is not merely a memorial artifact but a precious historical document. It reflects the formation and growth of a professional community where generations of doctors look back upon a predecessor with profound gratitude. Culturally, the book stands as vivid testimony to the Vietnamese tradition of honoring teachers and respecting the moral path of education. An individual may excel professionally, author numerous scientific works, or hold vital posts, but only when multiple generations unanimously bestow the title "Thầy" does that life truly become a legacy.
Closing the condolence book, what gave me the deepest pause was not how many titles the Teacher attained or how many high awards he received, but why, after nearly a century of life and devotion, he remains so universally cherished. The answer lies embedded within every single page. No one mentioned wealth or power. No one spoke of glittering vanities. What lingered in everyone's memory was the image of a dedicated teacher, a compassionate physician, an exemplary educator, a visionary administrator, and a human being who lived life fully for his profession, his students, and his patients.
That is a legacy that cannot be measured by the number of research projects or medals. It is a legacy carved in human hearts. For this reason, the Condolence Book for People's Teacher, Prof. Nguyễn Đình Hối, MD, PhD, not only records the grief surrounding the departure of a master healer but preserves a sustainably valuable message for generations of medical practitioners: intellect may be taught in lecture halls, skills may be honed in operating rooms, but character is cultivated solely by the teacher's own life.
Some lives draw to a close when their eyes shut. Yet other lives, from that exact moment, begin living on in the memories of generations. Professor Nguyễn Đình Hối belonged to the latter. The pages of the condolence book written in late June and early July of 2026 will inevitably yellow with time, but the words of deep respect inscribed within them will remain for a very long time, standing as a beautiful testament to a grand life lived fully for medicine, for education, and for humanity.
Reading the Condolence Book of People's Teacher, Prof. Nguyễn Đình Hối, MD, PhD, is to experience a legacy that transcends all titles./.
Master Nguyễn Quang Duy – Head of the Legal and Internal Audit Unit, Personnel Organization Department