Father Carries His Disabled Son 18 Miles To School Every Day

A parent’s devotion to their children can sometimes be one of the strongest natural forces in the world, and Yu Xukang, a proud and loving father in Yibin county in China, is no exception. Every day, he travels a total of 18 miles to ensure that Xiao Qiang, his disabled 12-year-old son, can go to school.

Xukang’s day begins at 5 A.M., when he wakes up to make the day’s lunch for his son, Qiang. He then carries his son 4.5 mi (7.2 km) to the nearest school that would accommodate him and walks back home to work, making the same trip again to pick him up and take him home.

Qiang cannot make the trip because his legs and arms are twisted. ‘My son with his disabilities is not in a position to walk on his own and it also means that he can’t ride a bike,” explains Xukang. “Despite being 12 he’s just 90 cm tall. But I am proud of the fact that he is already top of his class and I know he will achieve great things. My dream is that he will go to college… I know that my son is physically disabled but there is nothing wrong with his mind.”