A boy with cerebral palsy was admitted to University: Grandma accompanied him for more than ten years. (China)
Jul 21
2 min read
Chen Wenjie, a boy with cerebral palsy in Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, scored 606 points in this year's college entrance examination. On July 20th, Red Star News learned that Chen Wenjie has been admitted to Sichuan University through the special undergraduate program, majoring in experimental engineering.
Twenty years ago, Chen Wenjie was born in a remote mountain village, Liangshan Prefecture. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, classifying him as a level three physical disability. The family's livelihood depended on his father working away from home and his mother farming at home. While children his age could run and play at five, he could only stand steadily; while others could scribble freely at three, he still struggled to hold his wrist steady at six. To allow her grandson to pursue his education, his grandma resolutely took him to the county town to rent a room and accompany him to school, a commitment she has maintained for over ten years.
In his grandma's eyes, the child couldn't do physical labor, and education was the way to change his fate. When Chen Wenjie's grip on the pen was unsteady, his grandma would gently straighten his wrist, considering even writing a simple horizontal stroke a cause for celebration. Seeing his struggle to write, she would sometimes urge him on anxiously, the two of them shedding tears together before continuing to persevere. In his youth, Chen Wenjie endured stigma and ridicule because of his physical disability, and countless times fantasized about having a healthy body. But after reflection, he chose to reconcile with himself: "The facts are right in front of me; instead of wasting time dwelling on them, I'd rather accept myself as I am now."
Despite his physical limitations, Chen Wenjie never gave in to life's challenges. From a primary school for ethnic minorities to the Three Gorges Baihetan School, and then to Ningnan Middle School, he received numerous awards and commendations at various levels throughout his studies. For him, learning presented two major hurdles: overcoming uncontrollable hand tremors and improving writing speed. He could manage math and science subjects, which emphasized logic and involved less writing, with ease; however, Chinese and English essays required significantly more time. What his classmates could finish in 40 minutes often took him one or two hours. To overcome this, he developed the habit of "getting it right the first time," concisely expressing himself and writing quickly to minimize time spent on questions.
Getting up at the crack of dawn to study and studying late into the night under the lamp has been Chen Wenjie's unchanging daily routine for many years. Throughout his educational journey, the school's inclusiveness, the teachers' patient guidance, and the sincere treatment of his classmates have always warmed his heart.
On June 25th, the results of the college entrance examination were released. Chen Wenjie achieved a total score of 606, including 117 in Chinese, 119 in Mathematics, 120 in Foreign Language, 73 in Physics, 90 in Chemistry, and 87 in Biology. Although he did not reach his expectations, he admitted that he had given it his all and had no regrets.
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