Earthquake survivor helps amputees get back on their feet

"I was buried under the ruins and was rescued by the People’s Armed Police. It was the Communist Party of China that gave me a second life."

This is how Li Anqiang, a CPC member and a therapist specializing in prosthetic rehabilitation, recalls of how he got back on his feet after losing his legs in the earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan province, on May 12, 2008, in which more than 69,000 people died.

Struggling to come to terms with his loss, Li eventually gave new meaning to his life by becoming a physical therapist.

He helped those who like him had lost limbs, telling them of his experience in a way that would empower them to reclaim something like a normal life through prostheses, rehabilitation and physical exercises.

Being disabled should not mean being disqualified from having access to every aspect of life, he says, and he hopes that one day those with disabilities will be treated in exactly the same way as anyone else.

"I plan to continue helping more people with disabilities to move about more freely and enjoy life to its fullest."