Amputee courier delivers on promise

A Shanghai deliveryman who lost his leg after an accident has defied expectations to become an outstanding logistics professional

A courier in Shanghai typically delivers about 100 parcels a day. It is a backbreaking job that leaves one constantly exposed to the elements and with little time to take a breather.

Shen Guangyu, who has been a courier for nearly six years in Shanghai's Fengxian Bay, delivers on average 300 parcels a day.

In the days following the annual Double 11 online shopping carnival－the most hectic period of the year for couriers－Shen can deliver in excess of 750 orders a day.

What is more astounding is that he does so with only one leg.

To get around, he relies on his motorized tricycle and a trusty, specially designed crutch made using heavy-duty iron water pipes.

Born in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, Shen moved to Shanghai with his parents when he was in the sixth grade, about six years after his leg was amputated following an accident while swimming.

At 15, Shen started working as a cobbler in one corner of a food market, citing the sedentary nature of the job as an ideal fit for someone with his disability. But after persevering for 11 years in that line of work, he decided it was time for a change of scenery.

Despite his condition, Shen wanted to be on the move. Fortuitously, a friend, who worked as a courier at ZTO Express, referred him to the logistics company.

The boss of the company was initially skeptical about hiring a man on crutches, but eventually took a leap of faith.

Given his disability, Shen was given a lighter workload of about 70 packages to deliver on his first day of work.

The boss quickly realized that Shen did not need any special treatment. "I finished delivering those packages within two hours. My boss was very surprised!" he said.