Inspiring quake amputee to pursue US degree

By Huang Zhiling (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-07-26 21:36

Li Anqiang reads an English-language story of a volunteer of the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan province.[Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn]

Li Anqiang, a 24-year-old graduate from Sichuan University in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, will next month fly to the United States to pursue his master's degree in public management at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Instead of the typical story of a young man from a rich Chinese family studying in the US, Li's story is one which may move people to tears and motivate them to aim high.

Li, whose name means safe and strong in Chinese, comes from the mountainous ethnic Qiang village in Xiaoba town, Beichuan county, Sichuan.

He lost his legs in the 8.0-magnitude Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008, which killed 69,226 people and left 17,923 missing. He made room for a classmate at Beichuan High School, who was trapped with him under the rubble.

She was unscathed as a result of his act, but during aftershocks, Li's legs were buried under the rubble for too long and had to be amputated.

Wang Zhihang, a volunteer in Chengdu who has shown concern for Li, recalled the first time she met him in a hospital in July, 2008.

Standing 1.74 meters tall before the quake, the teen then only reached 87 centimeters without his legs.

"With gauzes covering wounds on his head, he looked profoundly sad and desperate. Nobody knew if he could survive psychologically and nobody believed he would study abroad one day," Wang said.

Li's father and 13-year-old sister saw him eight days after the quake because they had to travel a long distance from the mountains in Beichuan. Without any relative by his side, Li had to sign himself, and agree to have his legs amputated in a hospital.

After the new school term started in prefabricated classrooms that year, Li returned to his home county and proved to be an excellent student at the Beichuan High School, despite his handicap.

He was good at sport before he lost his legs. After the quake, he played basketball very well on his wheelchair.

Learning his story, NBA star Kobe Bryant sent him a signed basketball. Bryant said he was moved, hailing Li as a "strong boy whose attitude toward fate was amazing."

In the autumn of 2011, Li started studying an accounting major at Sichuan University.

"At the beginning, roommates would give me a helping hand. As time went by, they took it (my handicap) for granted and I took care of myself instead," Li said.

As it takes time to don artificial legs, people whose legs are amputated hate getting up at night to answer the call of nature.

"I have learned to don the artificial legs quickly, a little slowly than wearing shoes, to be exact," Li said.

Upon graduation from Sichuan University last summer, Li, who did not work anywhere, started preparing for exams needed to apply for studying in the United States.

He hopes he can make use of the advanced management expertise at Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, in his work when he comes back to China.

"I plan to work in a government organization or State-owned firm in China," he said.