“Basketball Girl” lost her legs then becomes a swimming champion

It was in the province of Yunnan, China where the tale of Qian Hongyan started. The little girl dubbed ‘Basketball Girl’ was living a peaceful and joyful life. Little did she know that she would encounter a tragic incident that would turn her entire world upside down.

In the year 2000, 4-year-old Qian was involved in a serious car accident. The doctors had to amputate her legs to ensure her survival. Qian’s family couldn’t afford to buy prosthetics or any other form of medical treatment that would help their child walk again.

Thus began Qian’s stagnant life. She had to stay home, unable to do what normal kids do, thinking to herself that she would forever be trapped within the walls of her home. But one day, her grandfather thought of an ingenious way to save the little girl from her anxiety.

Qian’s grandfather brought home a basketball. He cut away part of the basketball and then attached it to Qian’s legs. He then made two wooden handles to support Qian’s weight.

And that’s the day Qian came to be known as ‘Basketball Girl’.

This was a monumental moment in Qian’s life. She shared:

“From the very beginning when I started using it, I became incredibly happy. For the first time, I felt I could finally get out of bed, out of the room and out into the yard, and had a much bigger space to play in, a much bigger world.”

Her story spread like wildfire and became known all over the world. With the help of numerous donations, Qian was able to experience the joy of walking again with the use of new prosthetic legs. Eventually, she was able to finish primary school.

Because of her family’s financial instability during that time, she was unable to pursue her studies. In the face of this disheartening situation, Qian Hongyan decided to make her own destiny.

According to Daily Mail, she was encouraged to join South of the Cloud, a local swim team for people with disabilities in China. She used her drive, resilience, and perseverance to propel her towards her dream.

It all paid off when the hardworking ‘Basketball Girl’ qualified for the 2009 Paralympics, wherein she bagged one gold medal and two silver medals.

Through grit and determination, Qian succeeded and she soon started winning numerous medals at national competitions all over China.

Qian is no longer ‘basketball girl’ due to her new prostheses. Now, the prolific swimmer is a true inspiration to everyone who is faced with a life of disability.

Qian admitted that it was not easy to swim and compete professionally. Although she had the option to give up, her secret is that she simply didn’t. The accident took her legs, but not her heart.

Qian Hongyan reminds us that every cloud has a silver lining.

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