‘Beautiful student’ in China carries disabled friend to class for 3 years

An 18-year old Chinese student has been hailed as “the most beautiful student in China” after carrying a disabled friend to school every day for the past three years, British newspaper The Independent reported.

Xie Xu carries Zhang Chi, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, to and from Daxu High School in Jiangsu province so that Zhang does not miss classes.

The deputy headmaster at the school, Guo Chunxi, said: “They aren’t family, but Xie has been doing this for three years.

“He’s the most beautiful student. He also exerts positive influence on other students, who readily help Zhang. With their assistance, Zhang has never misses out on one class.”

Xie has been praised by many as the story received widespread coverage in the local media and on social media, with Xie’s actions being described as “inspiring and touching.”

Whilst heart-warming, the story raises questions over China’s handling of disabled rights and how much formal assistance someone such as Zhang can receive, now faced with the prospect of living independently as Xie plans to move away to study at the Nanjing Polytechnic Institute.

The most recent human rights report by the U.S. Department of State found “Nationwide, an estimated 243,000 school-age children with disabilities did not attend school,” indicating a substantial lack of support for disabled people in the country.