Wang Xueting (R) runs with her visually-impaired father at a wetland park in Chengdu, capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Dong Xiaohong)
by Xinhua Writers Yuan Quan, Dong Xiaohong
CHENGDU, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- For 21-year-old Wang Xueting and her visually-impaired father Wang Kequan, 51, running is not just a workout but also a bonding experience.
Since 2020, Wang Xueting has accompanied her father on daily running sessions, serving as his eyes and ears through a tether to help her father navigate the course.
"We rely on the tether to feel the turns and the distance between us," said Wang. They hail from Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Wang's father, born with congenital vision disorder, had suffered from depression for a long time due to his disability. He had even once locked himself at home refusing to see anyone.
An avid runner herself, Wang Xueting did not give up hope and suggested that his father take up running to relieve his anxiety.
But running wasn't easy for Wang Kequan in the beginning. Wang Xueting first bought a second-hand treadmill online for her father, but he gave up after a few attempts as he felt that he couldn't use it due to his lack of physical exercise and sight.
Wang Xueting came up with an idea and decided to run together with her father. She would alert him about the turns and obstacles on the road while her father listened attentively. After some time they developed seamless coordination and were able to keep pace with one another while staying attached via the tether.
They have run every day since then in their community, gradually increasing training intensity and running longer distances.
Wang Kequan slowly developed a love for running. Thanks to the daily physical activity, his health improved and his blood pressure dropped. "When I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped," he said.
But, what fuels his vigor and averts him from ever giving up is perhaps the fact that his daughter is proud of him.
Because of her father's visual impairment, Wang Xueting had to undertake a lot of housework from an early age. She would often feel self-pity when hearing the neighbors gossip about her father's visual impairment.
"Why is he different from other fathers? Why he cannot see?" Wang would often ponder over these questions as a child.
Running has brought the father and the daughter closer. Wang Xueting said they would talk more about things besides running on their daily training routes, such as her school and her favorite subjects.
She even led her father run on her university's playground, and they greeted her teachers and schoolmates together.
The father does not have a job and lives on government aid, and Wang Xueting's mother, who works as a cleaner for a company, is the breadwinner of the family.
Wang Xueting will graduate from university this summer and feels that though life is challenging, it is full of hopes.
The family's heartwarming story has garnered widespread media attention and touched many netizens after photos of their runs were shared on the Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo.
Wang Xueting and her father have joined a club -- "Running in the Dark" -- for runners with visual impairment and they are preparing for a half marathon. The father became more active and volunteered to help other disabled people.
"My dad is my hero," Wang Xueting said with visible pride and emotions shinning in her eyes. ■
