Chinese Girl Has Basketball for a Body
Qian Hongyan, who was forced to use half a basketball as her prosthetic body, has inspired millions recently with her ambition to compete as a swimmer in the 2012 Paralympics in London.
Qian swims about 2000 meters a day and trains really hard.
“Qian Hongyan studies hard. She never grouches in training although she was confronted with many difficulties at the beginning, ” her coach said.
The 10 year-old was injured trajically in an auto accident when she was only 3 years old. To insure her survival, the doctors were forced to amputate her legs.
Qian’s family, living in Zhuangxia, China, was unable to afford modern prosthetics and instead used a half a basketball to get around on. Once on the ball she uses two wooden props to help her move around.
Qian now has a pair of proper prosthetic legs, but still says she likes to use the basketball from time to time as it is easier for her to get in and out of the pool with.
By Sun Tzu on 22-12-2008
Comment by 洪安安
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:26 am
As a normal man, I’m jealous to her..
Comment by ludawg
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:12 am
I wonder if you can bounce around with that ball on. But with all seriousness, her story made me sad.
Comment by Neslock
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:13 am
This story made the rounds about a year ago, and she’s been one of my heroes ever since then. It’s such a tragic story, but when you see how happy and upbeat she is it just makes all your own problems seem so small.
Comment by starboykb
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
Im jealous of her too and sad
Comment by Kotka Mroku
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 am
She’s amazing. She is strong physically and mentally. She lives this way because she can’t imagin living in any other way. I hope her life will be happy and that she will stay this strong whole the time.
Comment by Gabe
December 23rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
At least the ball matches her cute little outfit.
Comment by Canadian
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Wow! Good for her. I hope she gets great enjoyment out of life.
Comment by john
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
We are so blessed that we/i need to shut up, quit complaining and start giving generously. i bet she has a champion spirit and is tough as nails.
Comment by ReparateMe.com
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
How does she poop?
Comment by Reader
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Well, it’s only the legs that were amputated, she just “wears” the basketball over her lower section as a body “shoe”. I am quite frankly surprised that no one else has pointed out the fact that you didn’t actually READ the article.
Comment by James Deeson
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Wow, what an awesome little girl she is. That is amazing!
jess
Comment by adam
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
why was she forced to use the basketball ?
Comment by loljews
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I would dribble her home and slam dunk her in my bed anyday
Comment by Jesse Unger
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I can think of one hundred better things for a bottom half, starting with a popcorn machine and ending with WOODEN LEGS! They’re not that poor, carve some FREAKING LEGS!
Comment by p@r@noid
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Poor Girl, I salute her for her courage to live!
Comment by Michelle
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
God Bless her!!! She is a true inspiration for many people!
Comment by DK
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Haha. Why go for those awful prostethics when she could get a cool pair of wooden peg legs? Talk about a wasted opportunity…
Comment by Frank Stallone
December 24th, 2008 at 2:01 am
If she doesn’t bounce up and down while walking, she is going to get called for traveling.
Comment by sam
December 24th, 2008 at 6:44 am
You often fantasize about little girls?
That’s sick.
Comment by Leo
December 24th, 2008 at 6:49 am
It’s a good thing she’ll be swimming in the 2012 paralympics, because she doesn’t stand a chance in hell of winning any ass-kicking contests.
Comment by anon
December 24th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
guess she will be wanting a new basketball for christmas, too bad shes asian and doesnt believe in santa clause.
Comment by Dude Fellah McGuy
December 24th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
that doesn’t even make sense…your stupid
Comment by craig
December 24th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
great call. travelling – hilarious. i salute u
Comment by wow
December 24th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
… wow.
A lot of the comments below are horrible, are you seriously poking fun at a little girl who has more courage then any of you could hope for in a lifetime? Why don’t you go to a developing country and witness these types of people suffering… THEN see if you have it in you to make fun of this adorable heroic child.
Comment by stu
December 25th, 2008 at 2:05 am
i read this and felt sad
i did laugh at some of the jokes , they were funny
but in all honesty , i really wish i could help this girl
she makes my problems look small
Comment by Jim
December 25th, 2008 at 6:14 am
Well, that’s a major turn on, dame un poquito de eso
Comment by ouchbag agg
December 25th, 2008 at 6:23 am
the ball helps her float lol
Comment by tom
December 25th, 2008 at 7:46 am
the world would be a much better place without pathetic arseholes like you.
wow, just wow. i really hope karma exists.
Comment by pete
December 25th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
To the vermin making fun of this cute little girl, Drive 100 mph into a stone wall, may a stray bullet find your spine. Kill yourselves or better yet live like those you make fun of. How can anyone make fun of this little girl? God knows who you slime are.
Comment by Eddy
December 25th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
‘may a stray bullet find your spine’ wow, what amazing poetry.
Comment by kw
December 26th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
you are such an idiot
Comment by kw
December 26th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I agree. There’s so many stupid insensitive people out there taking life for granted. They have no idea how life can be so difficult outside their little world. They should stay in school and get an education.
Comment by kw
December 26th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
how’s that funny? If it’s was you, you wouldn’t have the ball to live.
Comment by tom the petaphile
December 26th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
To Tom,
The world would be a much better place without this girl, Think about it… Poorer kids in other countries would have one more basketball to play with thus reducing crime.
Comment by Doodyboy
December 26th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Yeah Frank, that’s mean…..leave ol’ Spaulding pelvis alone !
Comment by lazysophie
December 27th, 2008 at 2:17 am
im glad to see her boisterous despite her misfortunes, i hope her a happy and healthy life ahead of her.
Comment by Paul R Wilson
December 27th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Hardly a day goes by without my reading from a paper or from the Internet some piece about the mess in the world. Now this ! I do not believe in a loving God who is somehow 3 gods – and certainly NOT in a burning hell for all!
Comment by Kobe Bryant
December 27th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I think i sunk her from downtown at the buzzer once.
Comment by Roar
December 28th, 2008 at 3:51 am
the incredible little girl i ever seen…
it’s make me going strong..and my spirit getting up.
GOD Bless the lil’ girl..
Comment by Tim
December 28th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
The education that they need doesn’t come from school anymore. True education comes from desire and interaction with those wiser than ourselves. All the formal education in the world doesn’t fix anything.
Comment by ihaveabasketballformybodytoo
December 29th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
hahahaahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhaha
so funny
omg
never laughed so hard in my life
Comment by Kon
December 29th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
AHHAHA best comment
Comment by bob
December 29th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Does it deflate?
Comment by Shacko
December 30th, 2008 at 8:58 am
lmfao!!!!
Comment by Belbecat
December 30th, 2008 at 10:03 am
And to think stupid kids these days kill themselves cos they got a bad grade or someone broke up with them LOL. I’m glad to see there can still be nice stories like this. Turn off that Super Sweet 16 crap and read about real people!
Comment by Kobe Bryant
January 1st, 2009 at 1:47 pm
SWISH
Comment by George W. Bush
January 5th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Young Lady, I declare you Mission Accomplished! You make all of your fellow Amerikins proud!
Comment by nicole
January 6th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
r u serious!!!!???????????????? u r horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by jeff
January 8th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
hahahaha!!!! we are all going to hell!!!
Comment by Sempiternal
January 14th, 2009 at 1:35 am
Amazing, what a fighter!
She deserves an award for her amazing spirit!
I hope she does amazing at the paraolympics!
Inspirational!
And to the people being quite ignorant and rude about this,
shut up. You should be ashamed of such behavior!
Comment by Sempiternal
January 14th, 2009 at 1:37 am
Oh sorry about that, I meant ‘Paralympics’
Spelling really isn’t my thing.
Comment by ireland
February 12th, 2009 at 12:42 am
dis video clip brought a tear 2 my eye. its so sad! and all ye people who r makin a laugh of her grow up ye fool/mongs and get a new hobby!
Comment by korea
March 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am
ì •ë§ì•ˆíƒ€ê¹ë„¤ìš”
Comment by korea
March 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am
ì •ë§ì•ˆíƒ€ê¹ë„¤ìš”
Comment by korea
March 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am
ì •ë§ì•ˆíƒ€ê¹ë„¤ìš”
Comment by korea
March 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am
ì •ë§ì•ˆíƒ€ê¹ë„¤ìš”
Comment by korea
March 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am
ì •ë§ì•ˆíƒ€ê¹ë„¤ìš”
Comment by korea
March 14th, 2009 at 4:35 am
ì •ë§ì•ˆíƒ€ê¹ë„¤ìš”
Comment by dave
March 20th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
may we all have the same courage to smile in our tough times…
even for those who now make jokes of this girl…hope you learn to respect and to have compassion for others, before you yourself face such hard situation, and in need of compassion and respect from others.
Comment by Zhao Jinfeng
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:54 am
这就是中国人!~
勇敢 、坚强的国人!
Comment by kha
June 5th, 2009 at 6:05 am
Keep dreaming and take all the chances to reach that dreams.. Your a wonderful girl, you manages to smile even in your biggest disappointments. You know how to deal with your problems, and with that I salute you. Thanks for inspiring us.
Comment by Andy
June 13th, 2009 at 9:39 am
that lil girl is so adorable! she is a real hero, God bless her!!!
Comment by archie carsula
June 19th, 2009 at 12:28 am
she's a very strong person, now i want her to be one of my inspiration to do better in life. i salute her
Comment by INQUIRING_MIND
June 21st, 2009 at 1:36 pm
After seeing this website, Hollywood's Robert Zemeckis (producer of such movies as "Castaway", "Beowulf", "What Lies Beneath", etc.) wants to re-make the movie "Castaway" (starring Tom Hanks) and cast Qian Hongyan for the part as Wilson. In this version, Wilson has speaking parts. When asked to comment, Qian Hongyan said she might consider the opportunity but was fearful that the role might "stunt" her growth as a creative dramatic actress as everyone would remember her as "Wilson".
Comment by Reminded
June 26th, 2009 at 7:58 am
I was inspired by this story myself. The first time I saw this girl, saw her face and read her stories, it made it easier to remember the countless blessing God gave us every single day…
Comment by bobby
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:52 am
God bless her
Comment by Kyaw Thuya
July 17th, 2009 at 9:00 am
All the best HongYan. You are my Hero whenever i feel down. I admire you so much
Comment by Mich
July 28th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Just because you're Asian doesn't mean you don't believe in Santa Clause. Santa is a religious thing and not a cultural thing!
Comment by Mish
July 28th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
For all you people who sit there and joke about this… this is not a joke for this girl, this is her life. If that was your sister, would you still crack jokes? You should be ashamed of yourselves
Comment by TATIANA BLACKZ
August 6th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
YES THIS GURL IS VERY AWESOME. MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW. MAY GOD BLESSS U…………
Comment by an
August 17th, 2009 at 5:31 am
Have you been to a Christian church since you were born? Santa has nothing to do with religion. Christ does. Your remarks mocking a child with a physical challenge is crude and cruel. Wonder if you would live as well as she.
Comment by shaaan
October 9th, 2009 at 8:55 am
this is one of the saddest thing ever wish everybody was as fortunate as us
Comment by Amar
October 20th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Wow what a spirit of that little girl. She is definitely and inspirations to all those who think they are not blessed with everything in life. Great post