A cobbler's journey: From street stall to Harvard alumni talk

A Quan, a cobbler from south China's Guangdong Province, has spent years earning a living by the roadside while "walking on his hands."

His life turned upside down at the age of 6 when he lost his legs in a road accident. He endured physical injuries, but his spirit remained intact. He credits Helen Keller's book, "Three Days to See," for giving him the will to carry on.

"Make the most of every sense you have, each one is a gift," he says, aiming to inspire everyone who comes across his vlogs where he shares glimpses of his everyday life. A Quan's message is universal – what keeps us going is not our legs, but the love for life within us.

When A Quan casually mentioned in a video how he dreamed of giving a speech at Harvard, his followers amplified his voice. In a surprise and heartwarming twist to his journey, the video reached Xu Liang, president of the Harvard Alumni Association in Beijing, who reached out and gave him the opportunity to address the alumni. 

A Quan's life is a lesson in the power of the human spirit that not only endows us with the resilience to overcome adversity, but propels us to do greater things.

Executive producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Video editor: Zhong Xia

Cover designer: Yu Peng, Zhang Tao