The Self-Made Billionaire’s Promise: A Conversation with Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn

Trương Thu Hường: Why do you always use both hands to give envelopes to the children, looking directly into their eyes? You’ve been doing this for years. What’s the reason behind this ritual?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: When I give, I’m also giving my thoughts and emotions. More than anything, I’m offering my sincerity and wholeheartedness. Our elders taught us that the way of giving is more important than what is given.

Trương Thu Hường: But why do your emotions remain unchanged, even after doing this hundreds of times?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: Not only have my emotions remained unchanged, but they have also become more profound over the years. Some of these children are in the final stages of cancer, with slim chances of survival. About 70–80% make it, but the rest… don’t. Yet, they are so full of life! They are oblivious to the impending doom. Seeing their eyes light up when receiving the envelopes… my heart feels heavy…

Fortunately, none of them have passed away before my eyes. If that were to happen, I don’t think I could bear it. I would feel like I hadn’t fulfilled my promise. Thankfully, there is still hope here. As long as there is hope, I will continue on this path.

In the past, 70% of the children here didn’t make it. Now, that number has reversed – partly thanks to the community’s support. I just hope that one day, the mortality rate will drop below 1%. Perhaps by then, I’ll be in heaven too (laughs). At my age, when it’s my time, I’ll go.

To be honest, I have heart problems and vertigo. My coronary arteries are narrowing. The doctor said that if something happens, they will rupture. I’ve had three stents implanted already… I can’t have another one. The only option left is a risky bypass surgery…

But I don’t care! I’ll keep going. Whatever happens, I won’t regret it.

If it were about changing policies or saving the world, that would be a different story. I can’t do those things. But I can change the world for one person. For example, helping a child go to school or giving a sick child a chance to live. One hand can’t cover the sky. But if I do what’s right within the reach of my hand, it’s enough.

I’ve made a promise to God. If something unfortunate happens to me, I’ll consider it a trade for the lives of these children.

Trương Thu Hường: Why did you make such a promise?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: Every time I visit the hospital, seeing these tiny bodies enduring the harshness of aggressive treatments, I can’t stand idly by. Whether you believe it or not, I do: living virtuously, doing good deeds, and saving lives – these will be rewarded with health and longevity by God and Buddha. Despite my health issues, I still stay up late and get up early, visiting hospitals and climbing stairs to hand over envelopes to the children. I believe I’m being protected. There were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it… but I did.

Perhaps it’s because many people are praying for me.

In 2025, a few days before my birthday, I went to the hospital. The media reported: “On his birthday, Mr. Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn still went to give gifts to the children.” I received thousands of blessings from strangers. Their words were so sincere. So I believe that all those wishes accompanied me up the stairs to heaven.

Trương Thu Hường: I understand and appreciate what you’re sharing, but I still want to ask: People often say that “only those who have experienced suffering can truly understand the pain of others.” But you seem to go against this notion. With a life full of success, why do you choose to be kind to the very end – helping strangers even at the risk of your own well-being? What drives your giving so deeply?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: I still remember that 40 years ago, my greatest aspiration was to help my country through economic development.

But on the very first night after bringing my family back to Vietnam, my two children suddenly had a high fever. The doctor diagnosed them with dengue fever.

At that time, the disease was rampant in the South, and the hospitals were overcrowded. Medication was scarce… even fever reducers were hard to come by. We stayed up all night by their bedside, using fresh lemon slices to cool them down. Fortunately, they recovered. But many other children didn’t.

That memory is like a deep wound that’s hard to heal. It drives me to do my best for my country.

After my family was relatively stable, I sent them back to Manila while I returned to Vietnam alone – entrusted with a special mission by the late Prime Minister Phạm Văn Đồng: to open the first international flight to the Philippines during the US embargo, when all diplomatic doors were closed.

I sold all my assets in the US, and with the support of my ex-wife Tina’s family, I brought back $20 million. For three years, the airline operated at a loss of $5 million. That amount could have bought me 500 houses in District 1, which cost about $10,000 each back then.

But I don’t regret it. If I had to do it all over again, I would still bet it all.

Back then, I believed that economic development was the most solid path for a businessman to fulfill his mission.

But after turning 65, I started thinking differently. There are new doors and paths worth embarking on.

Before I started doing charity work formally, there was a time when I had just received my salary of several million dong – a large sum at that time. I immediately put on my backpack, jumped on my motorbike, and went straight to the emergency room of Khánh Hòa Provincial Hospital. The hallway was packed, with the sound of slippers shuffling and people calling out to each other in a hurry. In a corner, a few family members of a patient stood huddled together, their faces anxious.

A doctor quickly approached, his eyes darkening:

— We have a critical case. We’ve done all we can. The only option is to transfer the patient to Ho Chi Minh City… but the family is from an ethnic minority and doesn’t have the money.

I could only pause for a second:

— Call the ambulance. I’ll take care of the expenses.

Two or three weeks later, the child’s parents found me at the Nha Trang Lodge Hotel, where I worked. As soon as they saw me, they knelt down and bowed their heads in gratitude. I hurriedly helped them up:

— Don’t… please stand up. You’re making me lose years off my life (laughs).

They called me a living Buddha or something like that. I don’t think so because I only did what I could. They were the ones who endured, driven by immense hope.

Trương Thu Hường: Was that the moment that changed your perspective on “contribution”?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: Maybe! People say that saving one life is better than building seven stupas. I believe that. It aligns with the teachings of God and Buddha and the law of karma.

Trương Thu Hường: If you had to choose one pivotal moment that transformed you from a businessman standing at the pinnacle of success to someone who sees value in the depths of humanity, what would it be?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: Once, I went to a remote area and hiked to a school perched on a mountaintop. I had to trek through the forest and cross streams to get there. As soon as I stepped into the schoolyard, a little girl approached me. In her hand was a purple wildflower, gently swaying in the wind, its petals still dewy. She looked up at me and smiled, whispering, “Thank you. Thank you for coming to us.”

I had met the children before, giving them scholarships and gifts. But this time, her words made me pause. The flower wasn’t much, but what she gave me was her whole heart. That moment was priceless; no amount of money could buy it.

From that day on, I realized that the path worth taking is not the one lit by dazzling lights or the one that leads to an air-conditioned office. It’s the path that brings me closer to people, especially children.

Trương Thu Hường: And you did, by personally carrying backpacks full of cash to give scholarships to children in remote areas…

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: (Laughs) – Not to brag! It’s just that in remote areas, many people don’t have bank accounts. Sending money through the post office or organizations takes time, and there are people who need help immediately.

What’s most important is that they use the money for the right purpose. I know because I still visit them, offering encouragement.

Once, I met a poor mother. She held my hand for a long time, too overwhelmed to speak. At that moment, my heart stirred. I said, “Sister, don’t cry. Everything will be fine. Remember to encourage your child to study hard and come back to serve your hometown.”

I believe that what I give is not just money but also hope.

Trương Thu Hường: And what “returns” have you received from these heartfelt investments?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: When the children find me to share their good news: they’ve graduated. Instead of staying in the city, despite better opportunities, they choose to return to their hometown to serve. At those moments, I know I’ve received the most precious “returns”: human connection.

I remember Dr. Đặng Văn Tốt, a native of Lý Sơn Island, who graduated at the top of his class from Hanoi Medical University and continued his residency to serve his hometown.

I’ve been involved with the Vừ A Dính Scholarship Fund since its early days, 20 years ago. So now, I have the opportunity to meet many successful recipients. Thousands of success stories have been recorded thanks to this fund. This is a type of investment that cannot be measured in money – it can only be measured with the heart.

Trương Thu Hường: After 40 years of doing charity work, have you ever felt tired, even for a moment?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: Never. It’s just that at my age, I can’t travel as much, so I entrust my contributions to the Vừ A Dính Scholarship Fund, the Club for Hoang Sa – Truong Sa Islands, and the Vietnam Children’s Fund.

Trương Thu Hường: Why did you choose these funds?

Johnathan Hạnh Nguyễn: The Vừ A Dính Fund supports children in remote areas, while the Club takes care of the children of soldiers on distant islands. These are large, reputable organizations that have been around for many years, and I can closely monitor where my donations go.

For example, I recently built a house of gratitude in Đồng Nai province for a soldier who served on the border. His family was deeply touched and said, “You take care of so many big things, yet you still care about individuals like us.” At that moment, I realized that helping those in need – so that they can safeguard the peace of our country – is crucial.

I’ve built many houses like this. For the Vừ A Dính Fund alone, I’ve contributed to more than 160 houses. The fund chooses the right people, and I provide the money. Sometimes, I go and find the recipients myself.

I’ve met many soldiers – those who silently guard our borders in far-flung islands and forests. They endure a lot, yet they never complain. To show my appreciation, I often send gifts and scholarships to their children, entrusting them to colleagues who deliver them directly, as a token of my gratitude.

And only when I go to remote areas do I realize that taking care of the underprivileged is not just the responsibility of the Party and the State.