Woman finds new life in diving, career after paralyzing condition

Woman finds new life in diving, career after paralyzing condition

2025-11-12

Mermaids don’t have legs to walk or stand on. In real life, there are also people who can’t use their legs. Pan Chih-yu refused to give up after suffering a condition that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Despite being wheelchair-bound, Pan has learned how to free dive just like a mermaid and plays table tennis. She tells everyone that even if your movement is limited, life has endless possibilities.

Rays of light ripple through the water as a mermaid gently sways her tail, moving as freely and gracefully as a dancer.

In the water you can’t tell that the mermaid, Pan Chih-yu, was diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation at age 15 that damaged her spinal cord. Even after six surgeries, she could no longer stand, completely changing her life.

Pan Chih-yu
Paraplegic
I collected a lot of meds like sleeping pills. I thought about taking them, but then I thought that I can’t leave my family like that. I thought, if I go, then it would be hard on them. I couldn’t do that.

Pan Wei-wen
Pan Chih-yu’s father
I just hope that the road ahead is long. She has to be independent, healthy, and happy. Find her own path in life.

Yeh Yu-chi
Pen Chih-yu’s mother
Your path in life is important. We hope that she does whatever she wants to do. We’ll support her fully.

Her family’s love and care were the strength Pan needed to move forward. As someone who used to play volleyball, sports are in her blood. Apart from playing wheelchair table tennis, she’s also learning free diving and other sports. But the newest chapter in her life is working in customer service for an airline.

Pan Chih-yu
Paraplegic
I was happy after I started earning money. It allowed my parents to relax a little. They don’t need to worry about me being unable to work or support myself.

Yeh Yu-chi
Pen Chih-yu’s mother
Chih-yu, keep going for it! This is life, overcoming challenge after challenge. There’s nothing you can’t overcome. Your dad and I will forever be your support. Just keep going. I love you. I’ll always love you.

Pan may be restricted to a wheelchair, but it doesn’t restrict her laughter or courage. Her parents’ love and coworkers’ support give her the strength she needs to keep going.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#paraplegic #inspiring #mermaid #freediving #wheelchair #wheelchairtabletennis #disability #family

身障美人魚! 半身癱瘓不向命運低頭學潛水.錄取航空業

2025-11-12

童話故事中，水裡的美人魚無法站立，而現實生活中，也有一位失去雙腳能力的脊髓損傷者，不向命運屈服。任職航空公司的潘稚莠，因為血管動靜脈畸形，導致半身癱瘓，從此與輪椅為伴，但她不僅學自由潛水，還參加身障桌球，身體力行，告訴大家，就算行動不便，生命仍有無限可能。

水面下的光線，隨著波紋閃爍。美人魚尾巴，輕盈翻轉，潘稚莠就像舞者，自在綻放美麗。

在水中其實看不出來，稚莠15歲那年，被醫生診斷罹患「血管動靜脈畸形」，造成脊髓受損，經過六次手術，最終無法再站起來，人生徹底改變。

[[脊髓損傷者潘稚莠]]
“我收集很多那個，類似安眠藥的，對，我有想過要吃，但是又覺得放不下我的家人，我會覺得那如果我走了，那我讓他們這麼難過什麼的，就會覺得捨不得”

[[潘稚莠父親潘威文]]
“我只希望未來的路還很長，她一定要獨立、健康、快樂，找到自己的生活方向”

[[潘稚莠母親葉郁琦]]
“生活方向很重要，我們是希望她，做她想要做的事情，我們全力支持她”

家人的愛與守護，成為稚莠向前的力量。曾經是排球校隊選手的她，擁有天生的運動細胞，除了投入身障桌球，還學了自由潛水等多項運動，而稚莠人生的新篇章，就是錄取航空公司的客服部。

[[脊髓損傷者潘稚莠]]
“後來有賺錢之後就覺得滿快樂的，就是也讓爸媽可以放心，不用擔心說，那我以後自己這樣怎麼辦，沒有工作能力，沒辦法養活自己”

[[潘稚莠母親葉郁琦]]
“稚莠加油，人生就是這樣子，關關難過關關過，沒有過不了的坎，我和爸爸永遠是妳最後後盾，你要加油喔，愛妳，永遠愛妳”

輪椅或許限制了稚莠的雙腳，卻沒有奪走她的笑容與勇氣。家人的愛、同事的支持，推著她一步步往前走。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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