I’m Niu Yu and I felt honored and happy that I took the stage at Shanghai Fashion Week 2021 with my prosthetic leg. I hope to encourage disabled people to chase ________ dreams bravely by sharing my life experience.

I was buried for three days under the ruins in the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. After being saved, I ________ over thirty operations. I was just 11 at the time and I had no idea what wearing a prosthesis would ________ for my life. All I knew was that I had lost a leg and I wouldn’t be able to run any more. It took me several years to realize my whole life was ________ different.

Many thoughts like “Would people say ________ my back?” came to my mind. So I started to try my best to hide my prosthetic leg. Before I turned 21, I never wore shorts. But one day, my father said something I’ll never forget. “If you want to live a good life, you must see yourself as a(n) ________ person and accept your body.” His words gave me ________ to show myself.

Later, I decided to volunteer for a teaching program in Tibet. And I even ________ for marathons, although I always came in last. But when a sports brand’s team asked me if I would walk the runway at Shanghai Fashion Week, I didn’t ________ my head immediately because I felt I was not qualified enough. ________ , something the team said really moved me, “Sports are the expression of a strong and positive ________, not about going through the motions.” I’ve always loved sports since I was a kid. If being ________ didn’t get in the way of my love for sports, why should it stop me from walking the runway?

Finally, I agreed with the invitation. I was nervous on the runway at first ________ I had never received any professional training. However, as I took a step forward, I heard a voice, “Wow! She’s beautiful.” I kept hearing the same ________. So I felt so excited and wanted to tell the disabled: We are not ________ but we’re beautiful.

For students in Mulan Primary School in Fuping County, Hebei Province, the past 18 years went by along with music, which was impossible for them before Deng Xiaolan became their music teacher. They have got a chance of singing on the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. That might be the biggest stage in their life. The changes were because of Deng, who passed away at age 79 on March 21, 2022.

Deng’s father Deng Tuo, a famous reporter, used to work for the Jinchaji Daily during the 1940s in Malan. At that time Deng was born. However, her parents had to fight against the Japanese enemy so they could not stay with her and left her with local farmers until she was three. That was why Deng always regarded Malan as her second home.

In 2003, Malan Village welcomed back the special guest. This was when changes in Malan children’s life took place. Deng advised some local children to sing a song, but they could not sing anything. Feeling sad, she came up with an idea of teaching these kids to sing.

After retiring in 2004, Deng went back to Malan and volunteered as a music teacher in a local primary school. Two years later, she set up the first choir. In 2013, the first “Malan Music Festival” was held, and the festival has been held every year since then.

The team that was responsible for Beijing 2022 opening and closing ceremonies heard about Malan children’s story, and invited them to sing the Olympic Anthem. As Deng expected, her students showed their confidence on the Olympic stage. Their voices touched the world.

“Our mother spent most of her last 18 years in Malan. Being a volunteer music teacher brought her happiness and satisfaction,” Deng’s children said. “They performed well at the ceremonies of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and were praised by the world. That made her very happy. She left the world on a high note. This is the biggest comfort for our family.”