Chinese Student Piggybacks Disabled Friend to School

Zhang Chi, a Chinese school student with muscular dystrophy, hasn’t missed a day of classes thanks to his friend Xie. 19 year old Zhang is unable to walk due to the muscle wasting condition, but close friend Xie Xu has made sure his disabled classmate hasn’t missed any lessons by carrying him to school on his back for the last three years.

Setting an Example

Muscular dystrophy is a muscle wasting condition that progresses over time and affects motor function. As his condition advanced, Zhang lost the ability to walk. That’s when friend Xie took action to help. His admirable example of showing kindness and generosity to his peers has earned him fame on social media in China and within his local community.

He’s a positive influence on other students

Headmaster of their high school in the Jiangsu province of China, Guo Chinxi, praised both of his pupils. He said: “Xie is the most beautiful student. He’s a positive influence on other students who all readily help Zhang so he never has to miss a class.”

Disability Rights

Despite this heart-warming story of friendship over adversity, it highlights the on-going issue of disability rights and accessibility in China. According to the most recent human rights reports from the United States, there’s still a huge amount of work to be done to liberate disabled people from discrimination and improve accessibility in the country. The report found that almost a quarter of a million school children with disabilities did not attend school and were missing out on a valuable education because of the lack of accessibility and services in place.