Standing Up

On September 10, 2008, fitted with a pair of artificial legs customized by the PHRCS, Zhang Feng, bearing the pain, made her first attempts at standing since the earthquake. Several of those witnessing this shed tears of emotion.

For the newly handicapped, at least a month of physical adaptation is necessary, and the first step is strength training. The legs gone, the human body will soon deteriorate. Strength training is essential to moving the artificial legs.

Last May, at the moment the quake struck, Zhang Feng, a student at Beichuan High School, was buried in the debris of her classroom. One of her classmates was killed right behind her, and another passed away in her arms five hours later. Twenty-four hours later, Zhang was rescued, but it was necessary that her legs be amputated.

Zhang remained calm and strong. Her legs gone, her body only occupied one-fourth of her rehabilitation bed. Most of the time, she lay on the bed in silence, despite the unbearable pain. She once thought she would barely be able to again stand, being overcome by dread and fear. Now standing, she immediately text messaged her classmates, back at school.

Dedicated

On September 7, 2008, Zhu Jian, a policeman with the Public Security Bureau of Beichuan County, escorted his wife, Liu Ling, a Beichuan kindergarten teacher whose right leg was amputated after the quake, to the PHRCS. It was already four months after the quake, but Zhu said he would never forget those painful moments. When the disaster occurred, instinctively, he rushed to where his wife and child were, but after running 100 meters, realizing that as a policeman he would be required for rescue work, he stopped and turned in the direction of the Public Security Bureau. Then, together with his fellow policemen, he threw himself into work at the seriously-stricken schools. It was not until the night of May 14 that Zhu found his wife in hospital. She had suffered a head injury and was waiting for an amputation surgery on the right leg. Hearing that his 9-year-old daughter died in the catastrophe, Zhu nearly collapsed. “I feel guilty,” he said. “But I’m a policeman, and my emotions must be subordinate to my duty.”

Family

After being fitted with artificial legs, Li Zhongfu, a senior farmer at Guangling Village in Xinglong Town, Mianzhu City, and his wife, Hu Changyan, who lost her right leg, together carried out daily rehabilitation exercise.

When the quake struck, Li was standing against the door at home. He would not have been injured if he had stepped out of the house. But at the moment, he instinctively ran inside to rescue his wife. As they just reached the gate, the house fell upon them, and their legs were trapped beneath cement debris. “It can be an integral family only when both of us exist,” Li said. “I would rather save my wife’s life at the cost of my legs.” Now, the couple is always together, wherever they go. Even during the few days of rest, following their doctor’s advice, Li would accompany his wife in a wheelchair with her walking exercise. “Now that we survived, we value even more every second we are together,” he said.

Father and Son

Liu Zhiquan, a senior citizen of Mianzhu City whose right leg was completely amputated, and who could previously barely support his son, Liu Run, with his hobby in Jinghu (a traditional bowed string instrument), has told many that it was his son who saved his life. Around two o’clock in the afternoon of May 12, Liu Run, after his shift at a local brewery, left home for an amateur Peking Opera fan party, taking along his instrument. Upon feeling the land shudder, he immediately ran for home, only to find his parents buried in debris.

After three hours of struggle, he finally pulled his parents out of the debris. Unfortunately, his mother was already dead. Liu Zhiquan, after amputation surgery, was transferred to the Provincial Hospital of Anhui. Liu Run also went to Anhui to care for his father. Now, whenever Liu Run plays the Jinghu instrument, his father enjoys it silently. “Because my son has such a hobby, he escaped that disaster,” he said. “And, if it were not for his quick return and rescue, I would have died.”

At the PHRCS, the physically handicapped who were injured by the catastrophic earthquake have been gradually rehabilitated and allowed to begin a new life. Here, they received care and concern from society, which will bring them spiritual support and confidence in life after rehabilitation.