As long as I can breathe - The story of 16-year-old rare angel Lin Shuyi

Author: Huang Guozhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Lin Shuyi, female, born on August 19, 1988, in Yunlin, Taiwan, is a first-year, third-class student at National Huwei High School. About three months after her birth, she was hospitalized due to pneumonia and soon diagnosed with distal muscular atrophy (Hoffmann's disease), leaving her almost paralyzed. From a young age, she became a frequent visitor to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of hospitals, requiring assistance with all aspects of her daily life. At the age of 10, her condition rapidly worsened, and she experienced 13 near-death encounters. Often after her attending physicians shook their heads in frustration, saying they had done all they could, she miraculously pulled through and told her mother, "I can't die. I still have dreams to fulfill." Over 16 years of a short life, she underwent over 200 emergency treatments. Yet, she faced her disability with resilience, never feeling (ashamed) or giving up on herself. Every day, she pushed the limits of her life, even though she spent more time in the hospital than at school. She cherished every learning opportunity, consistently ranking among the top students from Huwei Elementary School, Chongde Junior High School, to her current high school. She also represented her school in competitions such as recitation, writing, and painting, often returning victorious.
I remember when she was in first grade at Huwei Elementary School, on the day of the final exam, she had a fever and was trembling all over. Yet, she struggled to control her shaking hands and completed the exam, drenched in sweat. Her results placed her among the top students in the school. Before she could receive the principal's praise and award, she was rushed to the ICU. Later, her mother asked her if she regretted taking the exam despite her illness. Shuyi replied without hesitation, "Not at all." Her mother was moved to tears and tightly hugged her, proudly giving her a thumbs-up, admiring her daughter's courage to challenge life.
At the age of 15, Shuyi was awarded Taiwan's Highest Education Award, and at 16, she received the 2004 Seventh Global Love of Life Medal.