As the 10th anniversary of the May 12, 2008 Sichuan Earthquake approaches, the news website for Tencent, a Chinese internet giant, released a question: what have you experienced in the last decade?
Liao Zhi, who survived the disaster, answered the question. Named "the most beautiful volunteer", the Christian dancer said that she lost her family, daughter, and two legs in the magnitude 8.0 quake that caused more than 70,000 deaths and another 18,000 missing.
Losing everything she had, she didn't remain depressed but restarted dancing and became involved in charity performances, appealing to the public to stay tuned to Sichuan, her hometown.
She recalled that during the free performances, she met a group of friends. "That could be my most difficult time when they brought the Christian faith to me. They put the first prosthetic legs on me and keep caring for and encouraging me in the last decade."
Inspired by Christian families, Liao, who lost faith in marriage and relationships, started to open her heart. In 2013, she met her current husband, an artificial limb maker, and later gave birth to a girl baby. Now she is pregnant with their second child. "At present, I have a happy family. My husband and I live in Shanghai, organize some causal gatherings for amputees and share with them."
She added that she wouldn't stay in the "victim mentality". "I believe that everyone goes through some big and small things. Our issue was just more serious, so it drew more attention and resulted in bigger changes in personal lives. However, I think that even so, there is no need to stay put."
Liao encouraged the quake-affected countrymen to look forward and move on. "After all, life still goes on." She concluded.
- Translated by Karen Luo
