A Chinese man has returned to his first love after learning about her rare disease, which has begun to manifest symptoms, touching many online.
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A July video featuring the man, known as Fusheng, making a heartfelt confession of love to Cheng Aixiao, in their hometown in eastern China’s Fujian province, quickly went viral.
Cheng suffers from hereditary ataxia, a disorder that results in muscular dystrophy and leads to uncoordinated movements, as well as difficulties with walking and facial expressions.
Her mother was diagnosed with the same condition at the age of 23, shortly after giving birth to her. Cheng witnessed her mother’s struggle with the illness throughout her childhood, which tragically ended when her mother died while she was in secondary school.
Cheng has often worried about inheriting her mother’s illness. After experiencing difficulty standing still following a jump in secondary school, she recognised that the condition might be her inevitable fate.
Upon turning 23, Cheng’s symptoms began to escalate. Now 25, she requires assistance to walk even short distances and frequently loses control of her facial expressions.
She stated that most individuals with this disease ultimately become paralysed and lose their ability to communicate, often succumbing to respiratory failure.
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