Student Carries His Disabled Classmate To School Every Day For 3 Years

Every day for the last 3 years, Xie Xu, 18, has been carrying his disabled classmate to school on his back. His friend suffers from muscular dystrophy, a disease that results in progressive skeletal muscle weakness and potentially a shortened lifespan for Zhang Chi, 19, especially in China. Soon, the two friends will be separated when they go to different colleges, and Zhang Chi will have to rely on himself.

For now, Xie makes at least a dozen daily trips with his friend, two hundred days per year, and even brings Zhang his meal every day. But this dedication extends beyond friendship: Xie Xu and Zhang Chi are also the top students in their class.

“Xie…exerts positive influence on other students, who readily help Zhang. With their assistance, Zhang has never missed out on one single class,” remarked the vice headmaster of Daxu High School. A US human rights report on China states that 243,000 school-age children with disabilities do not attend school.