Selfless heroes carry the torch with pride

Wen Huazhi smiled with confidence as she held the Paralympic torch high.

Wen, 40, a two-time torchbearer at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games, said the purpose of the Paralympics is to inspire more persons with disabilities to embrace a wider world and exercise more.

"I hope Chinese athletes can perform well and win more gold medals. But more importantly, I hope they can enjoy the happiness of 'flying' on ice and snow," she said during the torch relay at the International Horticultural Expo Park in Beijing's Yanqing district on Thursday afternoon.

Wen was born into a farming family in rural Shaoshan, Hunan province, and worked as a tour guide after she graduated from technical college.

She lost her left leg in a serious traffic accident in Northwest China's Shaanxi province in 2005, when the tour bus she was working on collided with a coal truck. Six were killed and 22 injured.

In the immediate aftermath of the accident, Wen, though badly injured herself, continued to encourage the tourists on board to stay strong and remain calm. She asked the rescue team to save others before herself and passed out several times during the two-hour rescue.

Her story moved many people. She was honored as a national moral model and appointed a deputy to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Qiao Fujun, 47, another torchbearer, is spreading the spirit of independence and who works a job manufacturing car seat cushions. In his spare time, Qiao, who is also disabled, volunteers in his hometown of Pingyang in Heilongjiang province, teaching persons with disabilities valuable and practical skills.

He said the employment environment has improved among the disabled in recent years, with more job opportunities becoming available thanks in part to technology and a more inclusive approach.

"We should always rely and believe in ourselves," he said. "Today, there's more support in society and from the government in many aspects, such as through subsidies and other support policies."