3/22/2005: Girl with no legs gets around
 

http://cellar.org/2005/handicappedgirl.jpg

Another day, another xoB/WaPo image. The official cap says Qian Hongyan, 8, crawls with two home-made props and part of a basketball at Zhuangxia Village in Yannan Province, China. The girl lost both of her legs in a traffic accident in 2000 at the age of three.

"This is kind of a downer depending on point of view," xoB says. Yup. It's sad that it happened; it's sad she doesn't have a better way to get around. But she looks well, doesn't she? Kind of a strange contrast between her well-kept face, dressed hair and clean, nice clothing, and her rudimentary means of getting around.

fascinating. it looks like she lost much more than he legs. it looks like her torso has been shortened as well. if so, what of the organs inside?

Wow. Remind me, when I begin to sing the blues, of this incredible girl. Just *wow*
She must have a colostomy and urostomy...

That is really quite a picture & it does bring mixed feelings. I am amazed at the ingenuity that worked out the setup with an old basketball!! She does look like she is doing very well and that is another thumbs up for her attitude.

Sandra

I don't get the basketball. Is it actually attached, just for cushion and height, or does it roll?

The former.

i'm thinking the rest of her torso must be inside the b-ball. don't see how she could keep it attached, otherwise. so maybe it's not for cushion, but keeps her clothes from getting torn as she moves around.

It does say "part" of a basketball, so yeah, maybe the top is open.

This is one of those pics that you look at and suddenly, there is absolutely *nothing* really, really wrong in your world by comparison.

What a nervy kid.

ooooh. that makes a little more sense i suppose. see, in america someone would have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to come up with something that accomplishes no more or less than what she has. where she is they said, "hey, hand me that basketball." creativeness and ingenuity.


can you imagine how strong her shoulders and arms must be?

Hope she can stay upright when she's doing something with her both hands...
So dont pump up the ball please.. ;)

Perahps Rawlings or Wilson could come to her rescue, it would make a great headline.

When I saw the picture I thought stoic, not pathetic; confident, not desperate; adjusted, not beaten, generally a perfect picture of the adaptability of the human spirit.
But then looking again when I went to email it to UT, I thought maybe I'm cockeyed, maybe this will bum everyone out.
So naturally, I dumped it on him to decide. :haha:
Your responses sound like I was right in my first impression.

Reminds me of Johnny Eck.

C'mon HM, you say she reminds you of Johnny Eck, then give us a link with no picture. :confused: