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Extreme poverty in China: A family portrait of the “Ice Boy”

South China Morning Post

9,426,495 views

**Update again: We interviewed Ice Boy 1 year later and we have some good news: China’s ‘ice boy’ gets new home, but famil...

*Update: Sadly Ice Boy's life doesn't necessarily get easier after he get famous: Update: China's 'Ice Boy' removed from new...

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An SCMP reporter went to visit the famous “Ice Boy” in a mountain village in Yunnan province China. They talked to the child and his father to try and understand the tough situation they are facing.

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20 Comments

@Any-Okra 4 years ago

Even inside the home is so cold you can still see his breath, this makes me feel guilty for everything I take for granted

@queenditty2783 6 years ago

That poor father. He has hope in his eyes but I can see the pain too.

@ArtificialPerson 8 years ago (edited)

I understand extreme poverty can make you desperate, but the mother leaving her children is so heartbreaking

@HerenorThere524 4 years ago

It speaks volumes of this family to keep the cat around, being another mouth to feed. Wishing them the best

@MegumiHayashida 7 years ago

10 years from now I want to hear this kid became successful and saved his entire family including his village from poverty. Ice Boy you are an inspiration 💪

@lord_of_thorns5344 5 years ago

This kid is the only person who can truly tell his children he walked miles to get to school.

@Eqsgummi 7 years ago (edited)

This mans walking to school in freezing weather and I’m over here complaining that it’s a little cold in the morning while I ride the bus, makes me think how many basic necessities
I take for granted.

@Davd015 4 years ago (edited)

The mom was beating him, she left them but kid still want her back, it’s heartbreaking 💔

@MasoomaZulfiqar 5 years ago

"I remember she liked to beat me" and this child still wishes for his mom to be back home soon... How heartbreaking can this be...

@MasonsTurtle 7 years ago

I have a feeling that a lot of the donations didn't make it to them.

@og_lesk6218 6 years ago

I see people getting $500 donations for playing video games, this boy deserves a better life.

@Psymatixx 10 months ago

Please tell me someone has helped this family in the 7yrs since this was uploaded. The runaway mother sounds absolutely terrible, but huge respect for the father. He seems like he really deserves a chance and could do a lot with a little opportunity.

Can’t someone or a group with some expendable income donate a relatively small amount to fix this family up and allow them to thrive? They deserve it, everyone deserves opportunity.

🙏

@omarsharifi2587 7 years ago

"I remember she liked to beat me" this kid barely has anything to say about what her mom did for him except how she liked beating him up and then she leaves the family her very own husband and kids to struggle and survive all alone? What a shameful mother she doesn't deserve that name.

@ishtariste 8 years ago

What a hero...He'll become a successful man one day, he will.

@patymoonkaraoke 6 years ago

"We've got money for war, but can't feed the poor."

@mitsunehaku08 3 years ago

As someone who has a 2 minute walk to my school, I can't imagine how painful and tiring it must be to walk to school for hours

@dgutierrez0624 8 years ago

When I watch videos like this I realized how amazing my life is and how horrible of a person I am for wanting anything more than what I have.

@prahsper8785 7 years ago

Never complaining that’s it’s cold ever again....

@td023 4 years ago

It breaks my heart that all he remembers about his mom is that she would beat him and in the end he just still wanted her to come back. He doesn’t know it now but her leaving was probably the e best thing for them. Feel for the dad.