Press "Enter" to skip to content

Man Climbs Hong Kong Skyscraper in Wheelchair

Hong Kong —(Map)

Last Saturday, Lai Chi-wai used a rope system to pull himself up over 820 feet (250 meters) along the side of a skyscraper in Hong Kong. Mr. Lai, who can’t move his legs, was strapped into his wheelchair as he climbed.

Before 2011, Mr. Lai was a world-famous rock climber. He was ranked eighth in the world, and had won the Asian Rock Climbing Championship four times. He also taught others how to climb.

😕

This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

Before 2011, Mr. Lai was a world-famous rock climber. He was ranked eighth in the world, and had won the Asian Rock Climbing Championship four times. He also taught others how to climb. Above, Mr. Lai (top) climbing Lion Rock in 2004.

That ended 10 years ago, when Mr. Lai was involved in a car crash. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, unable to move his legs. Since then, he’s needed to use a wheelchair to get around.

But Mr. Lai couldn’t get over his love of climbing. He figured out a way to attach his wheelchair to a roping system that allowed him to climb again. He began working as a climbing teacher once more.

😕

This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

In 2011, a car crash left Mr. Lai paralyzed from the waist down. But he still loved climbing. He figured out a way to climb with his wheelchair. He also began working as a climbing teacher once more. Above, Mr. Lai with his son in 2017.

In 2016, Mr. Lai climbed Lion Rock in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It’s a 1,624-foot (495-meter) climb that he had done many times before his accident.

Mr. Lai said climbing Lion Rock again made him realize that he could still climb successfully, even if he couldn’t do it in the same way he had in the past. “In a way, I forgot that I was a disabled person, I could still dream and I could still do what I liked doing,” he said.

Last Saturday, Mr. Lai hoped to pull himself up 1,050 feet (320 meters) to the top of Hong Kong’s Nina Tower. It was a very different challenge from climbing Lion Rock.

😕

This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

Last Saturday, Mr. Lai hoped to pull himself up 1,050 feet (320 meters) to the top of Hong Kong’s Nina Tower. “Climbing up a mountain, I can hold onto rocks or little holes,” Mr. Lai said, “But with glass, all I can really rely on is the rope that I’m hanging off.”

“Climbing up a mountain, I can hold onto rocks or little holes,” Mr. Lai said, “But with glass, all I can really rely on is the rope that I’m hanging off.”

The morning started off well enough. The weather was good, and Mr. Lai was able to make progress.

But by early afternoon, strong winds had come up. They blew Mr. Lai around, and tangled his ropes. After 7.5 hours of climbing, he had reached 750 feet (230 meters), and the winds were stronger than ever.

😕

This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

The morning started off well enough. But by early afternoon, strong winds had come up. They blew Mr. Lai around, and tangled his ropes. After 7.5 hours of climbing, he had reached 750 feet (230 meters).

Still, Mr. Lai continued to pull himself up. He would pull himself up quickly for several minutes before pausing to untangle his ropes. He had to bandage his hands because they were so chewed up from pulling on the rope.

Finally, after climbing for 10 hours and reaching a height of about 820 feet (250 meters), the winds became too rough, and Mr. Lai had to give up his goal of reaching the top.

😕

This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

Finally, after climbing for 10 hours and reaching a height of about 820 feet (250 meters), the winds became too rough, and Mr. Lai had to give up his goal of reaching the top.

But along the way, he set a new record. He also raised over $700,000 for a charity that is working to help others who have been paralyzed.

Mr. Lai said that often, disabled people are viewed as weak. He hoped his climb would send a different message. “If a disabled person can shine,” he said, “They can at the same time bring about opportunity, hope, bring about light, they don’t have to be viewed as weak.”

😕

This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

“If a disabled person can shine,” Mr. Lai said, “They can at the same time bring about opportunity, hope, bring about light, they don’t have to be viewed as weak.” Above, Mr. Lai, with bandaged hands, speaks to reporters after his climb.

(Front page image source: Nina Tower, by WiNG [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)

😕

This map has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.

Share:

Settings

Most news on NewsForKids.net is appropriate for all ages. When there is news that may not be suitable for all ages, we try to tag it. You can use the setting below to control whether content tagged in this manner is shown.