Man with cerebral palsy in China is now compared to Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump character after becoming a self-made multimillionaire
- A man in China has built a business empire from scratch and proved his critics wrong, while helping others with his success
- ‘People always call me a fool. I was so sad. But at the same time, I was unconvinced by their comment’
A man in southeastern China with cerebral palsy has been labelled a hero and dubbed “Forrest Gump” after becoming a successful factory owner that employs people with disabilities.
Based in Suzhou, Jiangsu, Lu Hong’s Yuanyue Paper Product Company makes an annual avenue of 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million). Among its 42 workers, 24 have various physical disabilities, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
“I would insist on doing things. As long as I start to engage in one thing, I will try my best to complete it,” Lu, 42, said. “Therefore many people think I am like Forrest Gump.”
“Forrest Gump is a bit silly. I am a bit silly. Both of us are silly but cute.”
Forrest Gump was a 1994 film starring actor Tom Hanks as a man who overcomes a learning disability.
People greet the factory owner by calling him Boss Lu, but in his childhood, he was treated very differently, he said.
“People always call me a fool. I was so sad. But at the same time, I was unconvinced by their comment,” said Lu.