Being useful

Born in east China’s Anhui Province, Cao should have had a happy childhood like all other children his age, but the car accident brought a new reality. Constant bullying by his schoolmates saw him run away from home several times, forcing his parents to pull the tormented boy out of school. After failing to find a job, he even attempted suicide.

“I had an indomitable spirit, even though I had experienced many tribulations, and I made a promise to be a person who is useful to my family and society,” Cao told Chinafrica.

Like many blind people in China, Cao learned massage as a means to survive. He still remembers the joy at receiving his first salary. However, despite his new-found success, Cao was still searching for something more. At the time, he listened to the radio, and heard about the disabled athletes who competed at the Paralympic Games. The thought excited him and he set about making positive changes to his life.

In 2001, Cao arrived in Beijing and spent three years taking short-distance running training at the Beijing Sport University. During this period he set up a small massage business to earn a modest living and spent the rest of his time training to be an athlete. Despite the inevitable injuries that come with sports, it was the happiest time of his life, Cao said. His determination led to participation in the Fifth Guangdong Provincial Games for Disabled Persons in 2006, winning a bronze medal in the 200 meters sprint.

Windsurfing was his next challenge. Traveling to Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, in 2011, Cao trained with Zhai Mo, a well-known windsurfer. He lost count of the number of times he was injured in training. At the national wnidsurfing event held in Sanya in 2012, Cao was the only disabled athlete who took part.