Tong Lianjie, a 40-year-old technical diver and water rescue specialist from Hangzhou, faced full paralysis after a severe diving accident on 5/11/2024. The accident, which occurred during a mission, resulted in decompression sickness. This condition, caused by sudden pressure changes, led to nitrogen bubbles forming in his body, blocking blood vessels and damaging his spinal cord. Tong survived after extensive emergency care but woke up fully paralyzed.

Upon hearing the devastating news, Beibei, Tong's girlfriend, rushed to the hospital. "Saving his life nearly drained all my strength", she recounted.

Tong Lianjie, 40, in Hangzhou, was a firefighter before his accident. Photo: Tidenews.

Before the accident, Tong was an active rescuer with over 10 years of experience. He participated in hundreds of missions to find missing people in rivers, lakes, and mountains. He completed over 4,000 dives, captured 30,000 photos, and recorded 150 hours of video documenting ancient villages submerged beneath Qiandao Lake.

The transition from carrying 50 kg of equipment through forests and streams to being bedridden and dependent was a profound shock. "I felt that being saved was a form of torture", Tong described his initial days in the intensive care unit.

Witnessing Tong's despair, Beibei refused to let him give up. "Tears cannot bring back a life", she stated. "I could not watch the man I love, who had done so much good, lose hope."

From that moment, Beibei took on the role of his personal coach, meticulously overseeing every rehabilitation session. When not at the hospital, she used video calls to monitor his progress. For a single wrist-lifting exercise, she pushed him to perform it tens of thousands of times. Her joy was evident when he could move a finger, lift an arm, or feed himself for the first time.

She transformed their home into a professional gym, equipping it with a stationary bike, a standing aid, and muscle stimulation devices. To enable him to go outside, she bought a stair climber and installed a power-assist kit for his wheelchair. "I treat him as a normal person", Beibei affirmed. "Having seen him at his peak, I believe he can climb back there again."

Driven by Beibei's encouragement, Tong trained 6-8 hours daily. He recalled a time he dropped the tivi remote and had to use his feet and mouth to retrieve it. "Things that were once effortless are now harder than reaching for the stars", Tong commented.

Tong is still fighting for recovery every day. Photo: Tidenews.

Beyond the physical pain, despair often overwhelmed the former firefighter when confronting societal barriers. On his first taxi ride, he endured a driver's complaint: "Why are you out in a wheelchair?". Another time, eager to use his drone, it crashed on its first takeoff due to his clumsy hands. Despite recurring urinary tract infections and nerve pain, Beibei remained steadfast in her care. Her dedication gradually rekindled Tong's desire to live, leading him to rename himself "Four-Wheeled Diver" on social media.

In 10/2025, with the help of his friends and Beibei, Tong completed his first dive since the accident at an underwater center. "Underwater, I feel free", he shared. "I can forget my legs and only use my hands to propel myself."

Tong Lianjie's current goals include achieving self-sufficiency, learning to drive, and continuing his underwater pursuits. "Through countless hardships and tribulations, one truly matures", the former rescuer reflected.

Bao Nhien (According to Chinese Marriage and Family, Tidenews)