Chinese Paralympic athlete survived 28 hours buried under the earthquake rubble

Issued on: 7/17/2021 – 4:32 Modified: 7/17/2021 – 04:31

Shanghai (AFP)

Tang Xuemei was just a teenager when her school dormitory started shaking violently before the floor collapsed in a strong earthquake, spiraling into a dark void.

But 13 years after the trauma of losing part of her leg in a disaster that left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing, she has taken home the gold at the Paralympics and will represent China again in Tokyo in volleyball.

She will do so with a smile on her face and a resounding message for others with disabilities.

“We are no worse than others,” Tang, who spent time rehearsing in Shanghai for the August-September Paralympic Games, said in written remarks to AFP.

“Even if we had such an unfortunate experience, we would still face it with a smile and work harder and bravely to achieve our dreams.”

The 7.9-magnitude Sichuan earthquake in 2008 is etched in China’s collective memory not only because so many people died but also because children and teenagers, including Tang, were among the notable victims.

An outpouring of grief quickly turned to anger as it emerged that thousands of children had been killed in 7,000 schools that had collapsed, prompting allegations that corruption had led to shoddy construction.

Now 27, Tang has refused to answer questions about the fateful moment when the earthquake caused her school to collapse – the issue remains highly sensitive in China today.

But in a recent interview with the official website of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), she described in detail the experience of running for her life and the disappearance of the dormitory floor under her feet.

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When she came, the 14-year-old found herself buried, her left leg pinned to the rubble.

She had been waiting in frightening dark silence for 28 hours before she was rescued.

“Between life and death, you only think about the people who are most important to you,” Tang told IPC.

“Looking at my father, I knew I couldn’t die, I had to live.”

Heart-wrenching decision

In her comments to AFP, Tang stated soberly that part of her leg had been amputated and that “the state has provided assistance to the children affected by the earthquake.”

But her comments masked the heartache that came with this life-changing decision.

Her parents begged the doctors not to amputate, fearing Tang would type in the future as a disabled person.

In the end, it was Teenage Tang who told them that if they didn’t sign the consent form, she would sign it herself because she was afraid she would die without the operation.

But with her disability, Tang becomes reclusive, and her path in life is unclear.

Tang captures the story of what happened next and how it ultimately led to where she is today – a gold medalist in London in 2012 and looking forward to more success in Tokyo.

“I put on a prosthesis and the joy of standing up again eased my fears about the future,” she told AFP.

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“Fortunately, I came across a sitting volleyball by chance after participating in a competition for disabled children and teens.”

Tang, who had always been an athlete, was immediately struck by the confidence the young volleyball players had despite their handicap.

She later went on to win a spot on the Shanghai volleyball team, followed by honors from China, who should be a serious contender for the title again in Tokyo.

Tang relishes the prospect of “winning glory for my country”.

But more than that, seated volleyball gave her a renewed self-esteem, and she sees the Paralympics as a “higher platform to realize the value of life more”.

“Sports can help us in physical and mental rehabilitation,” she added.

© 2021 AFP

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