“I Will Be Home”: SA Teacher Stranded in Vietnam With Stage 3 Cancer Comes Home After R400k Raised

• Lorenzo Kruger, a South African teacher who moved to Vietnam, was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer while abroad
• He spent all his savings on medical expenses, leaving him stranded and unable to return home
• A BackaBuddy campaign covered the cost of emergency surgery and flights back home

A South African teacher who spent months fighting stage 3 cancer alone in Vietnam has finally made it home. @jua.nita40 shared a video on 10 May 2026 showing a group of people gathered in an open area with a welcome home sign, singing and celebrating Lorenzo Kruger's return. The caption shared:

"For those who don't know, Lorenzo is back home."

Lorenzo moved to Vietnam in 2019 to work as an English teacher. After months of worsening health, he was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. An abscess had developed and deteriorated to the point where he couldn't move or work. His savings ran out covering medical bills. When his family tried to bring him home, he had overstayed his visa due to his illness, which complicated the immigration process and delayed everything further. His sister travelled to Vietnam to help bring him back, but was eventually unable to return herself.

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Just before coming home, Lorenzo was hospitalised again as his condition worsened. A colostomy surgery was needed before he could even be considered fit to fly.

How SA helped Lorenzo get home?

A BackaBuddy campaign was started by his friend Carla, who coordinated all support efforts on behalf of the family. The campaign raised R402,523 of a R500,000 goal. An American friend named Nashon, who was also teaching in Vietnam, accompanied Lorenzo on the flights back to South Africa.

Lorenzo's sister shared an update after his return, saying that a week before he arrived home, the family had no clarity on when he would make it back. Lorenzo had told her he would be home by Friday, and despite the funds not yet being cleared and no word from authorities, he was right. She credited the outcome entirely to faith and the overwhelming support of strangers who refused to give up on him.

Lorenzo is currently in the hospital and too weak to begin chemotherapy and radiation. Doctors are focused on helping him gain weight and strength first.

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Watch the TikTok clip below:

People react to Lorenzo Kruger coming home

Netizens celebrated and prayed for the young man on TikToker @jua.nita40's clip:

@user3582580885223 wrote:

"Welcome back 🙏 Lorenzo Kruger, I pray for you."

@_jck_2012 said:

"We speak life over Lorenzo's life and we pray for divine healing in Jesus' name, amen ❤️🌹🥰"

@user6263626717162 added:

"Have never been happy for a stranger. I am so glad he is back with his family. To those who contributed to his return, thank you and may your pockets and bank balances never run dry. Love ❤️ from 🇿🇼🇿🇼"

@michelle.the.realtor added:

"May God heal and live to testify."

@chester_qha wrote:

"We believe in the words of the song they are singing. What an amazing testimony he will have when the difficult part of this journey is over."

More on rallying for those in need

• Briefly News reported on a Cape Town Zombie Walk that turned into a movement to help raise donations for animals in desperate need of care and protection.
• A KZN school community launched a fundraising campaign for a beloved retired Grade 1 teacher who needed urgent surgery.
• Cape Town runner Chad Nathans raised over R115,000 for a homeless wheelchair-bound man he met in the storm.

Source: Briefly News