China's “Forrest Gump” honored as role model

On March 4, 2023, 10 people were honored as China's inspiring role models for their phenomenally touching stories over the past year.

Lu Hong was a recipient of the award. Lu, a man with cerebral palsy from Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, has been dubbed China's “Forrest Gump” after becoming a successful factory owner that employs disabled people.

Photo shows Lu Hong holding his trophy. (Photo/Nanfang Daily)

Lu graduated from vocational school. To support his family, which encountered financial difficulties, Lu looked for a job. Later, he started to learn to make household utensils and worked at his uncle's factory.

For two years, Lu traveled 50 kilometers every weekday as an employee of the factory. He said thanks to biking during that time, he was able to improve his posture and started to look like normal people.

Lu had been trying to start his own business since 2002, having been a stall owner, a bicycle repairer, and owner of a newsstand, a telephone booth and a video shop. He made some money from these businesses. He also met his future wife during this time.

In 2012, Lu opened a photo studio and skillfully mastered Photoshop by himself. Many people came to his studio to have their photos shot and asked if he provided photo albums.

Lu Hong holds photo albums made at his factory. (Photo/CCTV News)

Seeing this as an opportunity, Lu and his wife decided to make photo albums themselves. They opened a workshop with a 100,000 yuan ($14,400) investment coming from his wife, and his mother-in-law offering her house for the couple to run their business.

However, the business didn't get off to a good start as the investment went down the drain and Lu ended his partnership. When Lu was at his wits' end, the local disabled persons' association came to help by finding an abandoned school building as a potential site for Lu to operate his business and then leased it to him. With such assistance, Lu managed to grow his business quickly.

"I would insist on doing things. As long as I start to engage in one thing, I'll try my best to do it," said Lu.

In 2022, the business turnover of Lu's factory exceeded 13 million yuan ($ 1.87 million).

Photo shows a group photo of Lu Hong and employees of his factory. (Photo/CCTV News)

Lu has generously provided jobs for disabled job seekers. Among 42 employees of his paper product factory, 30 are people with disabilities. "I want to provide a platform to help these people find things they are capable of doing," said Lu.