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Mom Refuses To Give Up Her Disabled Baby With “Low Intelligence,” Nurtures Him All The Way To Harvard
When Zou Hongyan welcomed her only son to the world in 1988, terrible birth complications left him disabled for life with cerebral palsy. Doctors in her native Hubei province encouraged her to give him up, a view that even her own husband shared, as they believed the boy would lead a miserable, worthless life. Zou, however, rejected their claims, divorced her child’s father, and made it her life mission to treat and support her baby boy when no one else would.
Zou worked at least 3 jobs simultaneously to support her small family, including protocol training and insurance sales, and played brain-boosting games with her son to stimulate his senses and build the foundations of his intelligence. She even taught him how to use chopsticks when his stiff hands could barely grip them. “I didn’t want him to feel ashamed about these physical problems,” she told the South China Morning Post. “Because he had inferior abilities in many areas, I was quite strict on him to work hard to catch up where he had difficulties.”
29 years later, that same boy – Ding Ding – is a Peking University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences and engineering. As of recently, he’s also a Harvard Law student. We can only imagine how proud this hard-working mom is of her son’s incredible progress, and how grateful Ding Ding must be to his greatest supporter. (h/t)
RELATED:
Zou Hongyan welcomed her son in 1988, but birth complications left him disabled with cerebral palsy
The doctors advised giving up the baby and claimed that he would never be intelligent, but Zou did not listen
Moreover, her husband disowned the boy, so she decided to divorce him and raise their son, Ding Ding, all by herself
Zou worked at least 3 jobs to support and get treatment for her son, and her hard work has paid off – she’s now the proud mom of a 29-year-old Harvard student
Readers of Hongyan’s incredible story have since showered her with well-deserved praise
A mother’s love truly knows no bounds!
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coffee zombie 7 years ago
This is such a strong story to read. She raised her kid to be someone of value and it must have have been hard doing it with everyone not sharing the same views as her. Good thing she didn't listen to the nay sayers.
Angel Madrid 7 years ago
A GODLY MOTHER'S DAY FOR YOUR FAITHFUL SACRIFICES. I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE YOUR STORY TO THE CHANNEL 2, MAALA-ALA MO KAYA
Load More Replies...
tweetybird 7 years ago
what a wonderful mother... most people would get rid of their child, which is really sad
person (i think) 7 years ago
I don't think that's true... if it were, literally more than half of children with palsey or handicapped children in general would be in orphanages/foster care (which is not the case). (This does not diminish her being a wonderful mother)
Load More Replies...
Ainsley Jo Phillips 7 years ago
I knew somebody who divorced her husband when he began pressuring her to put her "silly daughter" into an institution. He accepted this child (from his wife's previous marriage) as if she were his own daughter. However, when he and his wife had a son of their own without disabilities, he saw the girl as being in the way. As in this case, he was the one who was sent packing. I know of another case where a baby boy was born blind, and his mother couldn't handle it, so she left. She never tried to pressure her husband to have him put away. She just wasn't emotionally-strong enough to handle having a blind son. As for the son, he grew up just great and went to law school -- but dropped out before he had finished his degree to pursue what he really wanted to do with his life: be a recording artist. His name? Ronnie Millsap I just got to watch a show I'd heard about before but hadn't gotten to watch before last night. It's called Born That Way, and it's about these friends (cont)
Ainsley Jo Phillips 7 years ago
...who all have Down Syndrome and share a house. All of them are amazing! Such really nice people with a lot of abilities and confidence. Those people with that extra chromosome are something else!
Load More Replies...
Adam Lee 7 years ago
Ding Ding is probably a shortened name. Chinese names often have three characters (symbols). The last character is 'Ding' in his name. Parents, when they call for their children, often call them by their last character, and double it, thus it becomes 'Ding Ding'
just a thought 7 years ago
Both of them are beautiful inside out ... And most importantly , their will power to do something which is assumed to be impossible is the greatest .Really inspiring !!
Larry Bud Melman 7 years ago
What a kick a*s, saintly mother. What a worthless, ignorant father. HEY DAD! Ever hear of R.J. Mitte, Josh Blue, Christy Brown, Abbey Curran, Zach Anner...ETC!?!?!?
Olivia W 7 years ago
Incredible mother and incredible kid. I wonder what the dad is thinking now.
Teija 7 years ago
What a mother! And shame on the father and the doctors who thought CP means low intelligence!
M O'Connell 7 years ago
For anyone who doesn't understand how Cerebral Palsy works, I recommend that they read this book: http://www.benmikaelsen.com/petey It's a children's book, but still provides powerful insight into those whose intelligent minds are trapped within their bodies.
Load More Replies...
Maria Bumbac 7 years ago
This kind of mother are very rare lets say it. Would you have done it for your child if this situation would have been yours? She deserves a kind of medal of heroine. I m ready to give her my admiration and this medal :) She inspires me really!
Lisa Greene 7 years ago
It just goes to show that you should never give up on your kids! This mom is to be commended for going against the majority and following her heart!!
anushdesigns 7 years ago
Giving up is the easy route therefore weak people choose to go that direction. But true bravery is tested when you are given a situation like thisand you choose to deal with it positively and do everything necessary to make your child better. I know because I am living this similar situation with my 7 year old disabled son, and I have devoted my life to helping him as his mother without his negative father. Every little milestone is a big deal to me. Every doctor visit is critical and every form of therapy is necessary! Positivity is key here! Props to this momma!
Lorraine Coxon 7 years ago
Good luck! I have special children too. It's a struggle but we'll make it. High five! Don't give up x x x
Load More Replies...
Donna J Howorko 7 years ago
so awesome-the two of them can do any thing they put their minds to-such an inspiration.
Cheryl Fontaine 7 years ago
Enormous respect and admiration for this mother. She is a unique and very special person. I wish I could have been one tenth the mother.
Erica 7 years ago
The best cure to everything: love. That mother is amazing, she refused to give up on her only child and now look where he is. He is no longer paralyzed to the point of not being able to move and even though I would imagine he still has some health issues in his system, it definitely doesn't seem too bad. Good work, this is the sort of story I need to read on a daily basis :)
Jan Virtue 7 years ago
It's not unusual that a parent can't deal with having a child with a birth defect(s). But it's a shame they weren't strong enough to try, like Zou did for Ding Ding. She wasn't going to give up on him because she knew that nurturing him and treating him with respect and love, he would eventually be capable of learning, when they said he'd never be Intelligent. Zou's hard work is responsible for this. I've seen this several times, before. KIds that were abandoned and left for dead but because of a strong, loving influence they were able to prosper and maintain a dignified life with a lot of accomplishments. What a Wonderful Story.
JEFF THE KILLER 7 years ago
Im sorry but the doctors were going to kill him? Im so srry Im very confused
Scott Bugental 7 years ago
Stories like this tend to illicit tearful praise for the mother. She certainly deserves praise! But to me that response misses the point – the fact that she had to face and overcome such injustice in the first place is wrong. Stories like Zou and Ding Ding’s don’t make me tearful, they make me angry. Angry at doctors that would so blithely write off a human being’s life. Angry at societies and governments that relegate so many to lives in institutions and isolation. Imagine this was you. Image doctors told you should give up on your child – how would you feel? I don’t have to imagine, because my story is not all that different. (more following)
Scott Bugental 7 years ago
I was born with “congenital anomalies;” my hips were completely dislocated (my legs were actually folded up onto my torso), and I had no measurable muscle development in my legs. The doctors told my parents I would never walk. Fortunately for me, my parents did not accept this, and took me to the best doctors they could find. After multiple surgeries and procedures between the ages of 3 months and 2 years, I could stand; at first using a walker, then with leg braces, and eventually wthen with leg braces, and eventually with just a cane. In the US in the 1960’s, children with disabilities were sent to “special” schools (read segregated; think separate but not equal). While I had a few great teachers, most did not make much of an effort. I was given an IQ test in 2nd grade; my parents told me many years later that the test said my IQ was 90. Again, fortunately for me, my parents knew this was not accurate, and fought to get me enrolled in a regular, mainstream elementary school. (more).
Load More Replies...
Zahrina Noorputeri 7 years ago
Today's society might tell her she's being cruel and should let the boy 'be who he is'. But nuts to them, she did it!!!!
Ridwaan Ebrahim 7 years ago
so he was born in 1988 and 29 years later its 2015 (as seen in their pic outside the university) - somehow they flew in time.
Leo Diaz 7 years ago
What's so special about this story? She's being a decent mother and raising her child?? This article makes it sound like she's something special for not abandoning her child. Kind of paints it as if she's doing the child a favour by raising him instead of abandoning him. She's a mother who loves her child, the fact that he's disabled shouldn't be making headlines. Also, you're making the SON's success about the mother. The son was the one who over came adversity, his father disowning him, and his handicap, on to become successful. There should be more focus on the son, not as if he were some project. And FYI, disabled people are still "worthy" and "something of value" regardless of whether we achieve big accomplishments. Let's stop putting such high standards on disabled people, it makes us feel like we aren't worthy human beings if we aren't going "above and beyond" what society expects. Anyways. Lame a*s article trying to make being a decent mother into some heroic act.
It's Caturday 7 years ago
It was very difficult for single mothers, *especially* back in the day, to support special needs children by themselves. So, yes, she endured much adversity in the face of huge amount of peer pressure and strain on her marriage. Why minimize her sacrifice? All mothers do a lot for their children -being a "decent mother" still involves great amounts of work, and should be celebrated. there were countless orphanages in the past (a British royal brother, and one of the Kennedys were sent away due to a disability). Medical and social support was nonexistent for families of the disabled. Is this commendable? No. But are these facts incorrect? Also, her child wasn't a project, but it's kind of a big f**k you to all the doubters and haters, no? That's the sensational part that landed this on boredpanda. What's so wrong with saying wow, someone with CP overcame so much and made it to Harvard, when people with many more advantages didn't?
Load More Replies...
Sarah Lennie 7 years ago
As I have a friend from Hong Kong called Wai Wai, his name didn't seem so unusual to me. Your ignorant comment, however, caught my attention
Load More Replies... coffee zombie 7 years ago
This is such a strong story to read. She raised her kid to be someone of value and it must have have been hard doing it with everyone not sharing the same views as her. Good thing she didn't listen to the nay sayers.
Angel Madrid 7 years ago
A GODLY MOTHER'S DAY FOR YOUR FAITHFUL SACRIFICES. I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE YOUR STORY TO THE CHANNEL 2, MAALA-ALA MO KAYA
Load More Replies... tweetybird 7 years ago
what a wonderful mother... most people would get rid of their child, which is really sad
person (i think) 7 years ago
I don't think that's true... if it were, literally more than half of children with palsey or handicapped children in general would be in orphanages/foster care (which is not the case). (This does not diminish her being a wonderful mother)
Load More Replies... Ainsley Jo Phillips 7 years ago
I knew somebody who divorced her husband when he began pressuring her to put her "silly daughter" into an institution. He accepted this child (from his wife's previous marriage) as if she were his own daughter. However, when he and his wife had a son of their own without disabilities, he saw the girl as being in the way. As in this case, he was the one who was sent packing. I know of another case where a baby boy was born blind, and his mother couldn't handle it, so she left. She never tried to pressure her husband to have him put away. She just wasn't emotionally-strong enough to handle having a blind son. As for the son, he grew up just great and went to law school -- but dropped out before he had finished his degree to pursue what he really wanted to do with his life: be a recording artist. His name? Ronnie Millsap I just got to watch a show I'd heard about before but hadn't gotten to watch before last night. It's called Born That Way, and it's about these friends (cont)
Ainsley Jo Phillips 7 years ago
...who all have Down Syndrome and share a house. All of them are amazing! Such really nice people with a lot of abilities and confidence. Those people with that extra chromosome are something else!
Load More Replies... Adam Lee 7 years ago
Ding Ding is probably a shortened name. Chinese names often have three characters (symbols). The last character is 'Ding' in his name. Parents, when they call for their children, often call them by their last character, and double it, thus it becomes 'Ding Ding'
just a thought 7 years ago
Both of them are beautiful inside out ... And most importantly , their will power to do something which is assumed to be impossible is the greatest .Really inspiring !!
Larry Bud Melman 7 years ago
What a kick a*s, saintly mother. What a worthless, ignorant father. HEY DAD! Ever hear of R.J. Mitte, Josh Blue, Christy Brown, Abbey Curran, Zach Anner...ETC!?!?!?
Olivia W 7 years ago
Incredible mother and incredible kid. I wonder what the dad is thinking now.
Teija 7 years ago
What a mother! And shame on the father and the doctors who thought CP means low intelligence!
M O'Connell 7 years ago
For anyone who doesn't understand how Cerebral Palsy works, I recommend that they read this book: http://www.benmikaelsen.com/petey It's a children's book, but still provides powerful insight into those whose intelligent minds are trapped within their bodies.
Load More Replies... Maria Bumbac 7 years ago
This kind of mother are very rare lets say it. Would you have done it for your child if this situation would have been yours? She deserves a kind of medal of heroine. I m ready to give her my admiration and this medal :) She inspires me really!
Lisa Greene 7 years ago
It just goes to show that you should never give up on your kids! This mom is to be commended for going against the majority and following her heart!!
anushdesigns 7 years ago
Giving up is the easy route therefore weak people choose to go that direction. But true bravery is tested when you are given a situation like thisand you choose to deal with it positively and do everything necessary to make your child better. I know because I am living this similar situation with my 7 year old disabled son, and I have devoted my life to helping him as his mother without his negative father. Every little milestone is a big deal to me. Every doctor visit is critical and every form of therapy is necessary! Positivity is key here! Props to this momma!
Lorraine Coxon 7 years ago
Good luck! I have special children too. It's a struggle but we'll make it. High five! Don't give up x x x
Load More Replies... Donna J Howorko 7 years ago
so awesome-the two of them can do any thing they put their minds to-such an inspiration.
Cheryl Fontaine 7 years ago
Enormous respect and admiration for this mother. She is a unique and very special person. I wish I could have been one tenth the mother.
Erica 7 years ago
The best cure to everything: love. That mother is amazing, she refused to give up on her only child and now look where he is. He is no longer paralyzed to the point of not being able to move and even though I would imagine he still has some health issues in his system, it definitely doesn't seem too bad. Good work, this is the sort of story I need to read on a daily basis :)
Jan Virtue 7 years ago
It's not unusual that a parent can't deal with having a child with a birth defect(s). But it's a shame they weren't strong enough to try, like Zou did for Ding Ding. She wasn't going to give up on him because she knew that nurturing him and treating him with respect and love, he would eventually be capable of learning, when they said he'd never be Intelligent. Zou's hard work is responsible for this. I've seen this several times, before. KIds that were abandoned and left for dead but because of a strong, loving influence they were able to prosper and maintain a dignified life with a lot of accomplishments. What a Wonderful Story.
JEFF THE KILLER 7 years ago
Im sorry but the doctors were going to kill him? Im so srry Im very confused
Scott Bugental 7 years ago
Stories like this tend to illicit tearful praise for the mother. She certainly deserves praise! But to me that response misses the point – the fact that she had to face and overcome such injustice in the first place is wrong. Stories like Zou and Ding Ding’s don’t make me tearful, they make me angry. Angry at doctors that would so blithely write off a human being’s life. Angry at societies and governments that relegate so many to lives in institutions and isolation. Imagine this was you. Image doctors told you should give up on your child – how would you feel? I don’t have to imagine, because my story is not all that different. (more following)
Scott Bugental 7 years ago
I was born with “congenital anomalies;” my hips were completely dislocated (my legs were actually folded up onto my torso), and I had no measurable muscle development in my legs. The doctors told my parents I would never walk. Fortunately for me, my parents did not accept this, and took me to the best doctors they could find. After multiple surgeries and procedures between the ages of 3 months and 2 years, I could stand; at first using a walker, then with leg braces, and eventually wthen with leg braces, and eventually with just a cane. In the US in the 1960’s, children with disabilities were sent to “special” schools (read segregated; think separate but not equal). While I had a few great teachers, most did not make much of an effort. I was given an IQ test in 2nd grade; my parents told me many years later that the test said my IQ was 90. Again, fortunately for me, my parents knew this was not accurate, and fought to get me enrolled in a regular, mainstream elementary school. (more).
Load More Replies... Zahrina Noorputeri 7 years ago
Today's society might tell her she's being cruel and should let the boy 'be who he is'. But nuts to them, she did it!!!!
Ridwaan Ebrahim 7 years ago
so he was born in 1988 and 29 years later its 2015 (as seen in their pic outside the university) - somehow they flew in time.
Leo Diaz 7 years ago
What's so special about this story? She's being a decent mother and raising her child?? This article makes it sound like she's something special for not abandoning her child. Kind of paints it as if she's doing the child a favour by raising him instead of abandoning him. She's a mother who loves her child, the fact that he's disabled shouldn't be making headlines. Also, you're making the SON's success about the mother. The son was the one who over came adversity, his father disowning him, and his handicap, on to become successful. There should be more focus on the son, not as if he were some project. And FYI, disabled people are still "worthy" and "something of value" regardless of whether we achieve big accomplishments. Let's stop putting such high standards on disabled people, it makes us feel like we aren't worthy human beings if we aren't going "above and beyond" what society expects. Anyways. Lame a*s article trying to make being a decent mother into some heroic act.
It's Caturday 7 years ago
It was very difficult for single mothers, *especially* back in the day, to support special needs children by themselves. So, yes, she endured much adversity in the face of huge amount of peer pressure and strain on her marriage. Why minimize her sacrifice? All mothers do a lot for their children -being a "decent mother" still involves great amounts of work, and should be celebrated. there were countless orphanages in the past (a British royal brother, and one of the Kennedys were sent away due to a disability). Medical and social support was nonexistent for families of the disabled. Is this commendable? No. But are these facts incorrect? Also, her child wasn't a project, but it's kind of a big f**k you to all the doubters and haters, no? That's the sensational part that landed this on boredpanda. What's so wrong with saying wow, someone with CP overcame so much and made it to Harvard, when people with many more advantages didn't?
Load More Replies... Sarah Lennie 7 years ago
As I have a friend from Hong Kong called Wai Wai, his name didn't seem so unusual to me. Your ignorant comment, however, caught my attention
Load More Replies... Related on Bored Panda
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