Steve So Wing-tung has a catch phrase: 'Work hard now to prepare for the future.' So is a 'life-fighter' for the Direction Association for the Handicapped and regularly gives talks to inspire students.
'This is what I tell them in my seminars,' he says. 'You have to be prepared to handle everything. You have the opportunity to go to school so ask yourself, 'Have I done all my homework?' I believe there are loads of opportunities in Hong Kong and you must be prepared to make the most of them.'
So speaks from experience. A tragic accident took away his ability to walk. 'I was in Singapore visiting my relatives,' he recalls. 'I slipped on the side of a swimming pool. It was the last time I had stood on my legs.'
Yet soon he was back on his feet - if not literally. At first, like people in his situation, he went through a period of intense pain and dejection. 'I asked myself how life could be so cruel,' he says. 'But soon I came to accept the reality of my situation.'
So underwent two bouts of surgery and countless hours of physiotherapy. Eventually, he ended up in an electronic wheelchair. He learned to adjust to his new life. He has also learned the importance of being well-prepared.
'Before I go anywhere, I have to plan carefully,' he explains. 'I have to check the availability of lifts [at my destination] and make sure my wheelchair's battery is fully charged. Every move has to be planned.'
So had to skip a whole school year while he was in rehabilitation. Yet he knew a good education was crucial for his future. 'I was itching to get back to school after recovering from my surgeries,' he says. 'When I did, I was like a monster, hungry for knowledge. I worked really hard as that was the year I took my Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination [HKCEE].'