Legless man planted 3,000 trees in 10 yrs

Ma Sanxiao,a 62-year-old man who lost both feet, has spent 10 years planting more than 3,000 trees in a remote mountainous area in North China's Hebei province.

Retired from the army in 1974, Ma Sanxiao lost the lower part of his right leg in 1985 due to blood poisoning and the same part of the other leg for the same reason in 2004.

He started to make a living by planting trees in 2001 but gradually he considers planting trees as a career to improve the environment.

Since the mountain road is too hilly to walk with crutches, Ma has to crawl on his hands and he wears out a pair of gloves every five days.

"There is a road in the mountain grinded by my buttocks, my keens and my hands," according to Ma.

Once he dropped down from the hill and hurt his hands. Because of blood poisoning, his wound couldn’t heal. Unfortunately, his wound infected and he lost the little finger on his right hand.

Even though, he continues to plant trees with the belief that the trees are more important than his life.

"I've been in hospital for four times and had seven operations in the past 20 years, but I never cried. As soon as I saw this tree died, I couldn't hold my tear any more since I was so heart-broken," said Ma.

Getting hurt is very dangerous to him and it may lead to amputation, so he has to wear many protection pads on his legs every day on his way to plant trees.

Reporter asked him: “How often do you change your gloves?”
He answered: “Every ten days.
Reporter asked: “The gloves are very thick, aren't they?
Ma said: “Yes, its leather gloves but it can only last for ten days.”

Reporter asked: “How much money have you saved?”
Ma answered: “No, I don’t have any bankbook.”
“Do you think you are rich now?” asked the reporter.
Ma said: “Yes, I feel I'm very rich.”
“What do you have?” asked the reporter.
"This green forest is precious for me and you can call me a billionaire," answered Ma.

Ma also told the reporter that when he heard visitors say the environment on the hill is so good because of the trees; he felt so happy and forgot the hardship he has experienced.

"I heard some people, who came to this mountain, said the environment is so great and there are so many trees. I was very happy!”

Ma has over 3000 trees now and plans to dig another 300 holes to plant more trees no matter how hard it may be.

“I have 3000 trees now and I am the regimental commander of these 3000 trees, which I considered as my soldiers. These trees protect the Taihang Mountain. When I see them I feel so happy and forget the hardship of planting them."

Ma is not satisfied with only being a regimental commander, he tells the reporter that he wants to increase the number of his soldiers and become a legless division commander by planting more trees.

Sixty-two-year-old Ma Sanxiao, a former recon scout with no feet, looks at a newly planted tree in Shixing, Hebei province on April 26, 2011. Ma has spent 10 years planting more than 3,000 trees in the remote mountainous area where a waste land has taken its greenery. His story inspired many people when he was spotted by a photographer who uploaded a video clip about him on Internet.