This is an ordinary family, with one daughter and four sons; this is a common father, who can only rely on the meager income from farming to support his family. But heaven didn't favor this family - the eldest son suffered from cerebral palsy. To alleviate the financial burden of treating the eldest son, Dahu, this father had no choice but to consider giving one of his sons for adoption. A man impersonated a property staff member to break into a house and sexually assault a female resident. Article/Reporter Zhang Fan Photo/Reporter Gong Hui.
A Rural Family Welcomes Quadruplets
After Turning One, Dahu is Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy
One day in 1998, 30-year-old Zhang Keqiang anxiously waited outside the delivery room at the Linyi County People's Hospital. His wife had been in labor for eight hours without any sign of progress. Just as he was about to start worrying, the delivery room suddenly echoed with the loud cries of a baby. Half an hour later, a nurse loudly informed him: "Mother and children are safe, quadruplets, all boys..."
All four boys were born in the Year of the Tiger, so Zhang Keqiang named them according to their birth order. The eldest was called Dahu, the second was called Erhu... The arrival of these four children brought joy but also placed a heavy burden on the family. With many children and ten acres of land, the mother alone couldn't handle everything, so Zhang Keqiang had to give up the opportunity to work outside and instead support the family through farming the ten acres. Although life was tough, Zhang Keqiang and his wife found immense joy watching the children grow day by day.
However, misfortune struck in 1999 - while the other children could already walk and talk, Dahu still couldn't walk or call out "mama," and he remained unable to stand. Alarmed, the couple took Dahu to the hospital for a check-up, but the diagnosis hit them like a thunderbolt: Dahu had cerebral palsy.
Rehabilitation Surgery Required
Huge Medical Expenses Crush the Family
Yesterday, I met Dahu at a rehabilitation hospital near Baimashan Road. Dahu looked slightly plumper than other children, and at the time, he was undergoing rehabilitation training on the hospital bed with the help of a doctor. His attending physician, Dr. Wang Yeheng, told me that Dahu came to the rehabilitation hospital last October and has been there for half a year now. Dahu's intelligence is entirely normal, but he has significant mobility issues. When he first arrived at the hospital, only his left hand could move, but now Dahu can use his right hand to eat and independently perform some basic activities such as sitting up and lying down. Speaking about Dahu's treatment plan, the doctor sighed, "Currently, his lower adductor muscles are too tight, causing joint dislocation. If he wants to walk independently, further surgery will be necessary, costing over 20,000 yuan."
When Zhang Keqiang heard that Dahu needed more than 20,000 yuan for surgery, he fell silent for a long time. This was just the cost of surgery and did not include post-surgery rehabilitation expenses. What a large sum! Zhang Keqiang told reporters, "Our family only has a few acres of land, yielding about 10,000 yuan a year. To treat Dahu, we've spent all our money. I've borrowed from every relative, and we still owe over 10,000 yuan. We simply cannot afford any more. Moreover, with so many children, I can't go out to work. Life is difficult!"
To Save Money for the Eldest Son
Father Considers Giving Away a Child
Zhang Keqiang said, "The idea to give away a child was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. What plans do I have? Dahu definitely needs treatment, and my wife and I can't abandon him. I hope to separate the brothers and let others raise them, which would reduce some of the family's burdens. The children are older now, and I can also go out to work." "Does the mother agree?" asked one reporter present. Dahu's father sighed helplessly, "What can she do if she doesn't agree? Whose parents don't love their own children?"
But what comforts Dahu's father is that despite the hardships, the children are very obedient. "After school, they stay with their brother and talk. Whenever they're at home, they take care of Dahu's meals and bathroom needs. Seeing how obedient the children are, making sacrifices for each other, both my wife and I feel heartbroken. We always feel sorry for the children," Dahu's father said, lowering his head.
Finally, Zhang Keqiang expressed, "My wife and I hope to find a family that truly cares for the child and has the financial means to send him to university. I've discussed this matter with the children, but none of them spoke, only staring at me with wide eyes. Honestly, every time I think about the children's expressions, it feels like my heart is being cut with a knife."
Dahu:
"I Want to Walk!"
I saw Dahu on the hospital bed undergoing rehabilitation training. With the help of the doctor, Dahu barely managed to walk on the ground. What seemed like a few steps to ordinary people was extraordinarily difficult for Dahu.
Reporter: How long have you been here?
Dahu: For half a year.
Reporter: Do you miss home? Do you miss your parents?
Dahu: Yes! At home, my younger brothers play with me.
Reporter: How often does your father come to see you?
Dahu: Once a month.
Reporter: Why does your father take so long to visit you?
Dahu: (Silent for a moment) Father says our family is poor, and transportation costs a lot.
Reporter: Does it hurt during rehabilitation?
Dahu: Yes! Sometimes it hurts so much that I cry.
Reporter: Have you ever cried out in pain?
Dahu: No, Uncle said that if I train hard, I can walk. I want to walk!
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