A basketball player who was once dubbed China’s most handsome athlete, but was left partially paralysed after three operations, has inspired fans with his optimism. Wu Zhonghua, 29, from Liaoning province in northeastern China, is a former national-level basketball player and fitness coach. Despite being born into a poor rural family, Wu’s impressive athletic talent led him to a top Chinese sports university, according to NetEase News.
He was given the title of China’s most handsome athlete by his fans because of his 188cm height, impressive physique and striking good looks. In November 2014, he was diagnosed with a malignant tumour, leading to his first craniotomy surgery. Three months after the operation, Wu returned to college and implemented a strict rehabilitation plan, determined to regain his athletic abilities.
But two years later, his condition worsened and he underwent a second craniotomy, which left him with severe complications. Wu lost the hearing in his left ear, experienced diminishing vision in his right eye and suffered weakness in his limbs. In 2022, his condition further deteriorated, and he needed surgery again.
This time, Wu was left with hemiplegia, a paralysis on one side of his body and face, slurred speech and an unsteady gait. He shared before-and-after video of his illness on Douyin that showed the once slam-dunk star now struggling to dribble a basketball. The former model for fashion magazines also had a contorted and expressionless face.
Wu.
