In 2000, this Chinese veteran, who lost both his legs, started planting trees. Over the years, he has planted 17,000 trees, turning a mountain into a forest. You will be shocked when you see how he planted these trees without having legs.
When I was a child, my grandfather often told me about heroes – not the ones in books, but real ones who do incredible things without expecting anything in return.
One story that left a deep impression on me was that of Ma Sanxiao, a 70-year-old man with extraordinary determination.
Ma Sanxiao, originally from Maiyu, a village in China, began his amazing journey in 2000. Having lost his legs, he decided to plant trees to feed his family. What was initially a necessity became his life’s mission.
The region, located near the Taihang Mountains, was suffering from massive deforestation, threatening to turn it into a desert. But Ma did not give up. Over the years, he planted 17,000 trees, helping to restore the region’s ecosystem and averting an ecological disaster.
Every morning at 5am, he gets into his tuk-tuk, drives to the affected areas, takes off his prosthetics and crawls to plant trees. It’s not an easy job; he’s suffered many injuries, but he never gives up.
In 2008, the government recognized its efforts and provided financial aid. But for Ma, money is not the most important thing. He simply wants to give back to society what was lost, and he feels safe among the trees he planted, as if they were part of him.
