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Blind Chinese orphan finds new life as an aircraft engineer in the US
Blind Chinese orphan once abandoned in China later built a career in the US as an aircraft engineer after adoption.
A Chinese man born blind and abandoned on the streets of Guangxi has defied all odds to become an aircraft engineer in the United States after being adopted by an American family. Wei Min Patrick, now based in Alabama, overcame years of neglect and hardship to build a life defined by resilience and achievement.
Patrick revealed on mainland social media, as reported by South China Morning Post, that his grandfather attempted to abandon him three times, including once when he was pushed into a lake before being rescued and sent to an orphanage. His sister, though living far away, was his only source of affection during those early years.
A turning point in childhood
At the age of seven, Patrick was placed in an orphanage where he eventually lost his sight completely. There he met an English teacher from the US who had long wished for four children. She immediately recognised Patrick as the child she had been searching for. At the age of 10, he was adopted, brought to the United States, and raised alongside her three biological children.
Speaking about his adoptive mother, Patrick said that she never treated him as different. Instead, she taught him independence, encouraged him to share household duties, and home-schooled all her children in languages, mathematics, and history. She also volunteered at church, helping the homeless and caring for the sick.
Achieving academic and professional success
With her support, Patrick graduated from secondary school and went on to earn degrees in both piano performance and aerospace engineering. He explained in an interview with WKRG-TV that for a blind student, learning the piano meant memorising every note. His engineering professor described him as an “exceptional student” who never used blindness as an excuse.
Patrick admitted he often had to work harder than his peers, teaching himself to imagine the structure of an aircraft in order to keep up with his studies. Today, he works at Airbus but dreams of one day joining NASA.
Returning to his roots
Patrick has also travelled back to China in recent years, visiting Shanghai, Beihai, and his hometown of Guilin. He praised the warmth of the people and spoke fondly of enjoying hotpot, luosifen, and traditional massages. He is learning Chinese and hopes to visit every year.
While not seeking his birth parents, he has submitted DNA to Guangxi police in hopes of finding his older sister.
