Sang Lan’s story

Sang Lan, 17 years old, is a Chinese gymnast from Ningbo and represents China in this Friendship Games. If there had not been the tragedy caused by the accidental failure before the individual competition, perhaps, she would have attended the press conference as the vault champion of the competition and accepted a short interview with the media.

The accident occurred during the warm-up training before the individual gymnastics competition. The time was around 6:00 in the morning on July 22, Beijing time (the evening of July 21, New York time). The vaulting competition was about to be held at the Long Island Gymnastics Hall. . She was very energetic during the routine warm-up. She had already done the "hand turn" action twice. The little girl wanted to do it again, even though for a team member like her whose strength is the vault, this action can be said to be "over-familiar." "in the heart". Unexpectedly, this last jump actually triggered her lifelong regret.

The assistant coach of the U.S. national team who witnessed the tragedy said: Sang Lan’s movement was not very difficult. She seemed to hesitate a little while jumping, and her body turned a little more in the air. As a result, her head fell. He hit the ground and immediately fell to the ground. The Chinese coach and ambulance personnel on the sidelines immediately rushed to give first aid. The poor girl was in shock for about 10 seconds. They quickly immobilized her and put her on a stretcher and sent her to Nassau Medical Center. This can only be an accident.

About 12 minutes later, Zhang Daiwei, the Chinese attending physician on duty in the radiology department of Changdao, began to examine Sang Lan. The result - Sang Lan's sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae suffered dislocation and contusion, accompanied by nerve tissue damage, which may lead to paralysis. That night, the Friendship Games Organizing Committee sent a message to the Chinese delegation saying that in view of Sang Lan's serious condition, they decided to invite Sang Lan's parents to New York as soon as possible "to help Sang Lan recover with family encouragement."

The next day , the organizing committee held a press conference on the Sanglan incident at the Changdao Gymnastics Press Center. This was also the press conference with the largest number of reporters present at this competition. At the meeting, Dr. Leoni, the attending physician at Nassau Medical Center, briefed the media on Sang Lan’s injury. After diagnosis and treatment, the dislocated part of Sang Lan's cervical vertebra was successfully reset. She was conscious and her upper limb mobility gradually improved, but she lost feeling below the chest. The doctor also said: "I have never met a girl as tenacious as Sang Lan, even though she is a 17-year-old girl who is in a very painful process."

Nasu Chief Executive Thomas said after visiting Sunland: "I am deeply inspired by her courage to face pain."

Ms. Scannan, president of the USA Gymnastics Association, expressed regret for the accident, but She noted the accident was not the product of an unsafe environment.

Tu Mingde, head of the Chinese Sports Delegation and Secretary-General of the Chinese Olympic Committee, told the "foreigners" present in fluent English that the Chinese delegation thanked the American friends for their concern and care for Sanglan. China will facilitate Sang Lan's parents to come to the United States as soon as possible and said that Chinese players will continue to devote themselves to the competition seriously.

"When can I practice?" This was the first thing Sang Lan said after waking up. When people heard the news from Zhao Yuxin, the leader of the Chinese gymnastics team, they were all in awe of Sang Lan, a girl who might have suffered from paralysis just after her prime.

Zhao Yuxin, who had been accompanying Sang Lan at the hospital bed, told reporters with red eyes: "This child is very sensible. The day after the injury, I asked her if she missed her mother and wanted her mother to come and stay with her. She He said, 'No, don't let my parents come, they will be sad if they see me like this.'" Sang Lan was being pulled on both sides of her head and neck, unable to move.

The Sanglan incident shocked Changdao. Captain Tu Mingde gave Sang Lan a naughty and cute little white bear when he visited her. On behalf of all members of the Chinese delegation, he wished little Sang Lan a speedy recovery; Shen Guofang, deputy permanent representative of China to the United Nations, and others also visited Sang Lan in the hospital; all Athletes who participated in the gymnastics competition of the Friendship Games sent Sang Lan a signed letter of condolence; local people from all walks of life, especially Chinese in the United States, sent flowers and gifts. It is said that the hospital set up a special room for this purpose; Nassau Medical There are countless e-mails expressing condolences to Sang Lan on the center's website... In order to help Sang Lan recover as soon as possible, the day after Sang Lan was injured, the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration authorized Nassau Medical Center to use the name "SYGEN" on Sang Lan. Application for Experimental Drugs. It is said that this synthetic protein is used to treat nerve damage and repair tissue structure.

At around 8:00 a.m. local time on July 25 (the evening of July 25, Beijing time), experts from Nassau Medical Center performed a seven-hour cervical spine fusion surgery on Sang Lan so that she could You can sit up later. Before entering the operating room, Sang Lan said: "I really hope the operation will be done soon so that I can eat." Since the injury, she has been feeding on an intravenous drip.

A few hours after Sang Lan's surgery was called "successfully completed" by a hospital spokesperson, at 7:45 Beijing time, Sang Lan's father Sang Shisheng and mother Chen Xiufeng flew to Frankfurt. New York. In order to protect the Chinese couple, who had come all the way from Ningbo and had been tired from the journey, from being frightened by the scene, the organizing committee used extraordinary protective measures to enable them to leave JFK Airport smoothly, leaving reporters from major media outlets around the world who were following them in vain.

Major media outlets in the United States have invested heavily in the Sanglan incident. In the past few days, satellite broadcast trucks and photographers have been stationed at the entrance of the Nassau Medical Center from time to time. The spokesperson of the center has been even more difficult to resist.

Even the American Chinese TV reporters who took the footage of Sang Lan when he entered the customs with the team, and two Shanghai-based news reporters, Wu Xiaoqing and Chen Jun, were temporarily "valued". ABC Broadcasting Company even specially bought them at a special price from their boss. Like...

At 10 o'clock last night, Beijing time, Nassau Medical Center announced: Sang Lan's surgery was very successful and she can already sit up and eat!

"Can Sang Lan still stand up?"

Although people did not get a straightforward affirmative answer, the tragic story performed by Sang Lan was intertwined with countless good wishes. This is for sure.