9 Nearly All I Gave Was My Life

However, as Zhang Guimei expressed it, "Nearly all I gave was my life."

The school achieved such results, firmly establishing itself within the city. However, Zhang Guimei's health deteriorated significantly.

Over these years, her hard work led to serious health issues, exhausting her physical strength. A hospital check-up revealed 23 different illnesses.

Every day, Zhang Guimei woke up in pain, relying on a plethora of medications to sustain herself. Summoning her utmost strength, she sat up and faced the students.

What saddened her even more was that Zhang Guimei couldn't lift her arms or waist anymore. Teaching became impossible, even simple gestures like hugging a student.

Seeing this, Zhang Guimei felt her body had betrayed her. Yet, she was unwilling to abandon her students.

People advised her that if she lost her life, how could she help more students leave the mountains?

Helpless, Zhang Guimei stopped teaching and moved to logistical support. However, she remained the guiding light of the school.

Others suggested she move out of the school dorms and focus on recovery. Again, Zhang Guimei refused.

Since her first year at the school, she slept in the student dormitories, occupying the bed closest to the door.

"If something really happens, maybe I can still shield them a bit. That shouldn't change," she said. "Every day, watching the kids sitting in the classroom studying, makes my life feel so worthwhile."

However, she was not made of steel.

In 2018, during a patrol, Zhang Guimei suddenly felt a dizzy spell.

She blacked out.

When Zhang Guimei woke up, everyone surrounded her bed anxiously.

As she attempted to get up, she felt excruciating pain. Her first words were, "Am I not going to make it? Can you prepay for my funeral expenses? I want this money to go to the students."

Tears filled the hospital room. Everyone knew that the mountain girls were Zhang Guimei's greatest concern.

Because of them, she once again overcame the illness.

By all accounts, she should have retired by then. But in her heart, she couldn't let go of the children.

After being discharged, while she still had some mobility, she immersed herself in the mountains.

To ensure the students in the school could study peacefully, she continued with home visits to secure the rear.

To lead more girls out of the mountains, she intended to spread stories of how knowledge can change destinies.

10 Crossing Mountains and Rivers for Home Visits, Traveling 110,000 Kilometers

Every summer and winter break, Zhang Guimei never fails to traverse the mountains.

This time was no exception.

It has been her habit for 15 years.

Visiting homes in the city is convenient and close, but in the mountains, Zhang Guimei has to cross rough terrain and travel challenging paths.

Sometimes spending 12 hours outside in a day, she can only manage to visit two households at most.

Throughout the journey, she constantly switches between different modes of transportation: cars, motorcycles, mules... the options rotate.

Yet, Zhang Guimei doesn't feel tired. Only when her feet touch the soil of the mountains does her heart truly settle.

Her care extends beyond just students. On the way, she notices the hardships faced by the mountain people—lack of water, leaking houses—and spends her own money to fix wells and houses.

She never expects anything in return. If she sees a problem, she feels the need to lend a hand.

This has made more and more people in the mountains aware of her.

Word of mouth spreads, and Zhang Guimei earns an excellent reputation.

Her persistence and kindness move an increasing number of people.

Gradually, everyone realizes that girls can also succeed, just as well as boys.

They trust that their children will be in good hands with her.

During this time, Zhang Guimei has witnessed numerous moments of sorrow and joy.

An elderly couple tearfully told her, "We can depart in peace because our granddaughter is attending high school."

A student's father, suffering from liver cancer, at his last moments, Zhang Guimei promised the parents, "Let the child study wherever she wishes. As long as I'm alive, I'll watch over her for you."

When a student got into college, Zhang Guimei was the first to visit the family with the good news. The girl's mother was overjoyed and wanted to kneel before her. It turns out, the girl's mother also yearned deeply for an education. Due to poverty, she had to marry early and was stuck in the deep mountains her whole life.

These instances continually fuel Zhang Guimei's determination to persist.

She is even more resolute about leading the girls out of the mountains.

In 15 years, she covered 110,000 kilometers, visiting nearly 2,000 student households.

Her school has ranked first in the city for several consecutive years.

Zhang Guimei firmly believes that knowledge can alter destinies. Educating girls can change the fate of three generations!