When a 9-year-old boy walked through freezing cold to get to school… ❄️🎒👦 I’m sure many of you have seen these heartbreaking photos at least once. 🥶📸 But do you know the full, touching story behind them? ❤️ If not, you can read the whole story in the article below. 📖👇
In many developed countries, children often take education for granted, but for those in rural and underserved regions, the struggle to access schooling can be quite different. This was the case for a young boy from China whose story of perseverance captured the hearts of many.
Wang Funman, a 9-year-old from the Yunnan province of China, lives in a part of the country where education is a challenge due to the long distances to school, lack of resources, and few available teachers. Raised by his grandmother and sister, Wang’s parents travel across the country to make a living, leaving the boy to navigate the obstacles of life alone.
Each day, Wang must walk approximately nine kilometers just to get to school. A nine-year-old, enduring such a journey in tough conditions, would deter most, but not Wang. Despite the hardships his family faces, including the inability to afford warm clothing, Wang never lost his love for learning.
One day, a photo of Wang appeared online, making waves across China. To attend an important exam, Wang braved a freezing 9-degree Celsius morning, dressed only in a thin jacket and without a winter hat. He walked five kilometers to reach the school in those harsh conditions, and his classmates, upon seeing him arrive, couldn’t help but laugh at his appearance. But his teacher, witnessing Wang’s frost-covered hair and flushed cheeks, was taken aback by the boy’s sheer determination.
The story behind the cold was the lack of heating at the school in Yunnan, a consequence of an incident that had shut down the heating system. Even when the school had heat, it was still tough for students to stay warm enough to focus on their lessons, often enduring classes while wearing coats.
Yet, despite these obstacles, Wang passed his exam with an impressive score of 99 out of 100 points. His dedication and talent became an inspiration to many across the nation. His story was so moving that he was even invited to Beijing for a tour, where he was struck by the luxury of indoor heating in the capital. He marveled at the simple convenience of warmth in the buildings, something he had never experienced back home.
Upon returning to his village, Wang expressed his dreams of achieving a high-quality education. He hoped that by succeeding in his studies, he could one day improve his family’s life and free them from the hardships they had endured. His determination to rise above his circumstances serves as a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit.
