The Legless man who planted 3000 trees

Tree Soldier

A report from CNC (Source:http://www.cncworld.tv/news/v_show/14685_Tree_soldier.shtml)

A retired veteran who lost both his legs has spent 10 years planting more than 3,000 trees on the sides of north China’s remote mountains.

His story has inspired people across the country.

China Report has the story.

Six-two-year-old Ma Sanxiao is a former soldier.

He lost both his two legs due to sepsis, a disease where blood is overwhelmed by bacteria. Ma had one leg amputated in 1984, and another in 2004.

But that has not stopped him from planting more than 3,000 trees on nearby mountains in Jingxing county in Hebei Province during the past 10 years.

Ma gets before 5 a.m. every day, puts on his prosthetic limbs, climbs the mountains and plants trees.

It takes Ma more than 40 minutes to climb just hundreds of meters of mountain. Because actually he’s not “climbing”, he’s “crawling”.

People usually plant tress in spring, however, Ma has to dig the holes all the year round for preparation.

SOUNDBITE(CHINESE): MA SANXIAO
“I have difficulty in moving. It’s a fact that I have to face. I told myself that although I’m different, I have to accept it and never complain. I believe I can overcome any difficulty and would never be beaten.”

He told CNC that after the first amputation, he was distressed.

He sold everything valuable at home and ran into heavy debt.

Ma began to plant trees in 2001 on the barren mountains nearby, hoping to earn money by selling the trees.

Later his situation improved as the pensions for retired veterans increased.

Ma decided never to sell the trees and just let them improve the ecological environment.

SOUNDBITE(CHINESE): MA SANXIAO
“Many people came to buy my trees, even at a very high price. But I all refused.”

SOUNDBITE(CHINESE): MA SANXIAO
“I plant more trees to make the mountains greener. As you see, the straight lines of trees are just like green soldiers of the nature.”

Ma’s story has inspired many people after he was spotted by a photographer who uploaded a video clip about him on the Internet.

Netizens, enterprises and local governments have donated him a wheelchair, irrigation equipment and saplings.

(Taken from Tsem Rinpoche's blog, which has a video of the man in the process of planting trees. - The Legless man who planted 3000 trees )

I think you should post it at your facebook page, this is news, nothing to discuss.

"Six-two-year-old Ma Sanxiao is a former soldier." I am sorry, I don't feel inspired.

It says "An inspiring story", not necessarily require a discussion.

It is inspiring. He's doing something for nature.

but he's legless bro. he got to do these to plant those 3000 trees



not many ppl willing or commited enough to do this kind of thing, especially when you belong to OKU group. =)

this is inspiring indeed since it makes me realise of our responsibilities towards the nature regardless of our status