Burns survivor Lee Hui-chu recovers her strength and builds new life as fitness coach
Burns survivor Lee Hui-chu recovers her strength and builds new life as fitness coach
2023-03-24
In 2015, Taiwan was horrified by a fire caused by combustible dust particles at a water park in New Taipei. It ended with 17 deaths, with many others left with severe burns. Today we meet one of the survivors, Lee Hui-chu, who has gone on to become a fitness coach. Despite living with the impact of burns on 42% of her skin, she’s competing in weight-lifting contests and running half marathons. We spoke to Lee to find out how she is rewriting the definition of health.
Lee Hui-chu lifts a barbell over her head in one clean swing.
She gently adjusts her position, watching herself in the mirror, and even using her rest breaks to train.
The determined, cheerful 29-year-old is full of life. It’s hard to imagine that she was one of the survivors of the 2015 New Taipei water park fire, which left her with burns on 42% of her skin. Seven years later, the scars are still very obvious across her arms and legs.
Lee Hui-chu
Burns survivor
I’ve had experiences where people have shouted at me across the street, “Hey, girl, what’s up with that? How did you get like that?” The scars will be on me for the rest of my life. I’m always practicing that.
After the fire, Lee picked up exercise again. Her skin is fragile and less flexible after recovering from the burns. But, undaunted, she trains hard and is learning how to live happily with her scars. She’s been in weight training for more than a year now, and can deadlift 105 kilograms.
Lee Hui-chu
Burns survivor
In the past, I couldn’t run up three flights of stairs. I think working out has been a very engaging thing for me, right from when I first got out of hospital, up until the moment when I realized that I’m in slightly better shape.
Last year Lee competed in the Taiwan Strongman competition, coming in at fourth place, as well as taking part in a Spartan Race and a half marathon. She’s determined to keep getting stronger so her legs can take her where she wants to go.
Lee Hui-chu
Burns survivor
Some people say women should be skinny, that’s the only way to be beautiful. But health often doesn’t look like we think it should. I think what I’m constantly searching for is, “What is true health?”
Now Lee works as a full-time fitness coach. Her scars are proof of her immense courage and determination. She rebuilt her own agency after a horrific trauma and now she’s helping others find their own strength too.
不倒勇士! 八仙塵暴傷者 李慧珠奪大力士比賽第4名
2023-03-24
2015年八仙塵爆事件中，其中一名傷者〝李慧珠〞，全身42%燒傷，雙腿、雙腳留下大面積的疤痕，復健後，她重新接觸運動，克服身體不適、練重訓，經過一年多，傳統硬舉可以拉105公斤，浴火重生的她，甚至轉職當體能教練，參加路跑、斯巴達障礙賽，更在去年的大力士比賽中，拿下第四名好成績，一起來看看她的故事。
李慧珠舉起槓鈴，一鼓作氣往上撐。
看著鏡中的自己，慢慢調整姿勢，休息片刻繼續練習。
眼前這個陽光，笑容滿面的29歲女孩，全身散發活力，很難想像，她在2015年的新北市八仙塵爆意外，全身燒傷面積42%，儘管多年過去了，火吻的痕跡遍佈她的雙手和雙腳。
[[八仙塵爆傷者 李慧珠]]
“我也有遇過有人，就是直接是大聲在對向的馬路，直接大聲問我說，妹妹啊，你那個是怎樣，怎麼會變成這樣之類的。疤痕在我身上就是一輩子的事情，那我一直在練習這件事情”
李慧珠在塵爆後，重新接觸運動，但增生後的皮膚，沒彈性、也很脆弱，不服輸的個性，讓她更努力鍛練，學會跟疤痕共存，練重訓一年多，傳統硬舉可以拉到105公斤。
[[八仙塵爆傷者 李慧珠]]
“以前是可能爬三樓樓梯，我都爬不上去，我從剛出院的時候，一直到我發現我的身體回到跟以前，好像比較好一點狀況的時候，我就覺得訓練對我來說，它是一個很迷人的東西”
去年參加大力士比賽，拿下第四名好成績，挑戰斯巴達障礙賽，跑過半程馬拉松，用這雙曾經傷痕累累的雙腳，走出精彩人生。
[[八仙塵爆傷者 李慧珠]]
“有些人都說女生就是要瘦啊，所以才美麗，很多的健康，可能並不是我們眼中的那個樣子，我覺得我一直在尋找的是，什麼才是真的健康”
現在的李慧珠，擔任全職體能教練，不美麗的疤，成了勇氣的勳章，李慧珠浴火重生，拿回身體自主權，越練、身心越強壯。
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