The New Taipei City Social Welfare Department on Thursday celebrated Paralympic competitor Chen Tzu-wei (張孜維), who received last year’s national Golden Eagle award for exemplary achievement by Taiwanese with disabilities.
Chen, who suffers from
childhood-onset muscular dystrophy, did not attend the first award ceremony held by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in November due to illness.
Photo: Wong Yu-huang, Taipei Times
Chen was formally presented with the award at the department, where he gave thanks to government workers for supporting his education and livelihood, the department said in a statement.
Chen was raised by the Ai-hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities in the city’s Bali District (八里) since he was five years old, when his condition rendered him immobile except through use of a powered wheelchair, it said.
He has played boccia for Taiwan in the Paralympic Games and Asian Para Games and is currently studying for a doctorate at the National Taiwan Sports University, the department said.
Chen has said the home’s teachers and children used to call bus companies every morning to ensure that he had a seat on the bus to Shilin High School.
He trained vigorously under a regimen established by his coach surnamed Hu (胡) to strengthen his stamina, tactics and mental conditioning, which led to success at competitions in Hong Kong, Dubai, Japan and Poland, Chen said.
Chen is most thankful to his mother for having him, making it possible for him to experience a wonderful life, the department cited him as saying.
After retiring from sports, Chen plans to contribute to society by making use of college education, it said.
Hsieh Hsin-min (謝鑫敏), former head of the Ai-hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities, said Chen is an inspiration and example to the children under the home’s care.
Department Commissioner Lee Mei-chen (李美珍) said Chen never allowed his condition to slow down his pursuits in life, academics and athletics, showing that disabilities do not limit the measure of a person’s potential.
Additional reporting by Weng Yu-huang
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