Boy saved by woman when he was an infant, later adopted by her neighbour. Child had come to care deeply for adoptive father and grandfather. — SCMP
The challenging life of a 12-year-old boy — who was born with a foot disability and abandoned by his biological parents — is trending on mainland social media after his adopted father died in October, with many people expressing worry about his fate.
Tan Zonglu was discovered as an infant by a young girl next to a rubbish pile in Sichuan province in southwest China in 2011. Next to him was a baby bottle and a note revealing his birth date as January 31, 2011.
The girl who found Tan brought the baby to her mother, surnamed Luo, who never left Tan’s life even though she could not afford to raise him with three daughters at home.
Luo told Star News that Tan was freezing cold when they first found him, and she had to undress him so she could clean the baby and warm him up, which is when she discovered his feet had developed abnormally.
“He might not have survived the night if he had not been found,” said Luo.
Luo could not afford to raise the infant, so she asked her neighbour, Tan Yuegui, who did not have a family of his own if he would adopt the boy, which he did.
Over the next 12 years, Tan’s adoptive father worked hard to support the family while the boy’s adoptive grandfather cared for him at home. The boy formed a deep bond with both of them.
The video published on Star News featured entries from Tan’s diary in which he expressed his deep affection for his father, writing: “I can see his white hair and tired eyes on video calls. But his eyes light up when he sees me and asks if I have eaten and am doing well. He always cared about me despite his hardships. I love my dad.”
Tan’s adoptive grandfather passed away in April 2022.
On October 20, the boy’s life was thrown into turmoil when his adoptive father died of liver cirrhosis, which was made worse by the family’s inability to afford timely hospital treatment.
Thankfully, Luo was still a part of Tan’s life, and the woman took on the responsibility of ensuring the boy remained cared for. She arranged for Tan to live at his school on weekdays, and the boy returned to her home on the weekends.
Deng Zhigang, an online blogger who goes by the pseudonym, Bro Gang is a Girl, learned about Tan’s predicament and made heartwarming videos about his story, which quickly drew sympathy and attention online.
After watching the video, a viewer named Lv Qiao, who was similarly abandoned by her biological parents, felt a strong connection with Tan and expressed a desire to adopt him.
As the owner of a hair salon and mother of two sons, Lv welcomed the boy into her home with the consent of both Luo and the boy.
In addition, Wan Yuan Ren He Hospital offered to perform corrective surgery on Tan’s feet for free, and doctors successfully completed surgery on December 2.
Lv spoke of Tan’s resilience during his surgery, stating: “He didn’t make a sound at night, no matter how much pain he was in. He is a sensible and strong boy, making it heartbreaking to see him endure pain.”
His story has also touched countless people online.
One person commented: “The child is so mature for his age. I hope he can walk normally after being discharged from the hospital. Keep fighting!”
Another viewer remarked: “I cried watching this news. I hope the rest of his life is peaceful!” – South China Morning Post
