Hemiplegic at the age of 22, Liang Yi overcame despair to return to Hunan television after 11 years, becoming a symbol of strength “wheelchair phoenix”.
Liang Yi, born in 1979, is the first presenter in Chinese television history to work in a wheelchair. SCMP said her story has just been recalled as a living testament to the power of perseverance and the ability of humans to regenerate in the face of adversity.
Tragedy struck one morning in September 2001. At that time, Liang Yi was only 22 years old, had just graduated as valedictorian from the University of Communication of China and had been working at Hunan Television for 4 months. While applying makeup to prepare for a big gala, she suddenly suffered severe pain and collapsed after only 5 minutes. The entire body from the neck down completely lost feeling.
Liang Yi. Image: Weibo
Doctors diagnosed her with a rare congenital spinal cord vascular malformation. The deformed mass ruptured, compressing the central nervous system, causing her entire body to be paralyzed.
After 65 days of being bedridden in critical condition, the family found Dr. Ling Feng at Xuanwu Hospital (Beijing). The successful surgery helped Liang regain feeling in her upper body, but she permanently lost the ability to walk, tying her life to a wheelchair.
Facing harsh reality, Liang once fell into a serious psychological crisis. She changed her phone number, isolated herself, and cried every day when she saw her body covered in scars and deformities due to the side effects of the medicine. However, her mother’s care, encouragement from the community and especially a meeting with famous disabled writer Shi Tiesheng revived her spirit. Shi’s advice helps Liang find inner strength through reading and reflection.
Determined to rebuild his life, Liang considered physical therapy a “full-time job”. She spends 6 hours a day repeating basic movements thousands of times like turning over, crawling, and sitting up. “I gritted my teeth, persevered, sweated profusely, not daring to let my guard down for even a second,” the female MC recalled. Her extraordinary efforts helped her gradually sit firmly, regain her flexibility in her arms, and even be able to arm-wrestle against her friends.
In 2011, Liang passed the master’s degree majoring in broadcasting. A year later, she officially returned to the small screen, hosting programs on Hunan TV, marking a spectacular return after more than a decade of absence.
To film, Liang had to leave home 3 hours in advance to prepare even though his workplace was only 20 minutes away. She works hard to keep her spine straight with a specialized cushion without affecting her air column when speaking. In addition to hosting, she also writes books, does charity work and founded a website to support patient rehabilitation.
The Chinese public fondly calls her “smiling angel” or “wheelchair phoenix”. Looking back on the past journey, Liang Yi affirms that today’s success is built from her mother’s perseverance and great love. “Don’t underestimate the power of perseverance. Thanks to it, we overcome challenges to become better versions,” she shared.