In a hospital in Enshi City, Hubei province, a 29-year-old armless man named Chen Zifang gently feeds his mother.
Every day, he dexterously uses his feet to help his hospitalized mother comb her hair, take her medicine, and eat her food. Occasionally, when his mom is getting fluids, he lifts the fluid bag to help her use the bathroom. Whenever he goes outside to buy food, street vendors help him clinch the food tightly in his teeth and do small favors for him as a way to show compassion and respect for his situation.
Chen Zifang was born in 1989 without arms in Xujiawan Village, Enshi Prefecture, Hubei province. When he was nine months old, his father passed away of severe illness. Since then, his mother has struggled through difficulties to raise him and his elder brother. Influenced by his mother’s positive attitude, Chen never gave up on the pursuit of a better life, despite the innate physical inconvenience.
At the age of four, he began to practice standing up when his family members were absent, but it was difficult to keep balance without arms and he fell again and again, ending up with lots of bruises. As he grew older, he did not want to wait to be served. With an unyielding enthusiasm, Chen practiced to do home chores and simple labor using his feet. After his brother established his own family, Chen became the main caretaker for his mother.
Although his mother’s condition has stabilized, Chen is concerned about how to carry out rehabilitation training for her.
Chen’s story has deeply moved Chinese readers. Netizens commented on People’s Daily news app that “a person with sunshine inside his heart will not be daunted by difficulties” and offered him their best wishes for a better life.