A 20-year-old Chinese boy with ALS wins the Global Mathematics Award while lying down: I suffer from an incurable "happiness disease"
On the evening of September 16th, the 2023 Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, which presented awards, welcomed a special contestant. 20-year-old Chinese boy with ALS, Lou Ingen, won the Excellence Award! He is currently studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in physics and mathematics. He has achieved full marks or close to full marks in both of his university courses in the past two years, and his mentor praised him for being "as talented as Hawking.". In the interview, the boy who loves to laugh told reporters, "Although I have never taken a step on this planet, I fly in the rich and magnificent world of mathematics." His parents graduated from Nanjing University, and with the careful cultivation of his mother and the care of all his family, he became a sunny and happy "little sun".
Mathematics is a miracle
Let me transcend the limitations of my body
"Mathematics may have been extremely complex and difficult to understand, but miraculously, we are able to prove profound truths. As mathematicians and physicists, mathematics is not just about numbers or equations. It is the language of the universe itself, a symphony of logic and patterns, and the foundation of all reality. On a more personal level, this language has allowed me to transcend the limitations of my body." That night, Gen Gen shared his lengthy acceptance speech, which mentioned many of his thoughts on mathematics and life.
Lou Ingen suffers from spinal muscular atrophy. To be honest, diseases start from infancy. SMA resulted in severe weakness throughout his body, requiring even the simplest daily tasks to be assisted by others. Whether it's eating, flipping over, or going to the bathroom, every aspect requires external support.
Under the advice of the doctor, Lou Yingen underwent four major surgeries, including spinal fusion, and inserted two titanium rods into his back. In order to prevent muscle and joint degeneration, his body needs to change positions every hour or so, and he needs to spend a long time every day exercising, massaging, and therapy.
Over the years, although muscles have become increasingly weak, the passion for understanding the world has become stronger. "Although I have never taken a step on this planet, I fly in the rich and magnificent world of mathematics. If I can understand the language of the universe, why do I still need to worry about my physical limitations? I want to say to all people who suffer from SMA or similar rare diseases, society may think that due to your disability, you cannot achieve the same success as a healthy person, but please do not let such thoughts affect you."
This long English speech is full of inspiring power. He believes that the most profound things in life can only be understood spiritually. If you focus your energy on these things, you will shine brightly. "Of course, behind every achievement lies a steadfast network of support, which is particularly evident for me as a disabled person. My mother has always been my strong pillar, letting go of everything and focusing on eliminating any obstacles I face. I am grateful for my father and all the people who have always supported me."
To attend this award ceremony in Beijing, this journey is a huge challenge for Gen Gen's body, going through a 30 hour flight process. Gengen thanked the organizing committee and expressed his intention to donate some of the prize money to institutions related to ALS in China. "I hope this donation can break down the barriers faced by people with disabilities, allowing us to pursue and realize unlimited dreams."
He has always hoped to help more people, "Life defines beauty, and without it, the beauty of all things no longer exists. You can choose to see the beauty of things around you, or you can choose to ignore it and become depressed. This is a simple choice, but sometimes it is difficult to see that the right to choose is in your hands. So, let go of those trivial disputes, jealousy, and regrets, focus on what we have, and focus on what efforts can help others experience the glory of life."
Family is sunshine
Suffering from an incurable "happiness disease"
People who see roots will definitely be infected by the smile that often hangs on their face. When he came to Beijing this time, his mother even braided his hair, featuring an iconic design and a slightly mischievous smile like a child, which left a deep impression on him. Lou Yingen joked that his illness is an incurable 'happiness disease', and if you get this disease, you will always be happy and always laugh heartily. He told reporters that because life is short, one must find something exciting and happy to do. He learned how to skateboard and surf, and also decided to participate in the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, celebrating mathematics with over 50000 people worldwide. He hopes to develop a product in the future that can help other patients with ALS, so that everyone can enjoy life.
Rooted in learning how to skateboard and surf
In fact, behind every smile, it is inseparable from the loving companionship of family. In 1986, her mother Huang Huihua was admitted to the Hydrogeology major of the Department of Geology at Nanjing University. At Nanjing University, she met Gen Gen's father Lou Xiangdong and they went to the United States to study together. Lou Ingen was born on April 5, 2003 in California, USA, under the nickname Gengen. At the age of 1, he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, which meant a bolt from the blue for his family. Huang Huihua said, "If we don't pick ourselves up, we won't be able to solve the current difficulties. Although Gen Gen has this disease, we will never give up!" Gen Gen's father, Lou Xiangdong, works in the computer industry and is busy with work. Huang Huihua resolutely gave up his job and devoted himself to taking care of and nurturing Gen Gen.
My mother emphasizes the cultivation of mathematics and daily physical exercise. After his mathematical talent was revealed, his mother focused on cultivating his mathematical skills, encouraging him to participate in various mathematical competitions around the world, so that he could inspire his fighting spirit in mathematics competitions. Huang Huihua's secret is to engage in dialogue with sincerity and rationality, inform him of his own problems, guide him to use his resources, and encourage him to innovate. In her growth process, Huang Huihua has always emphasized maintaining an open and pragmatic attitude, maintaining reverence and curiosity towards the unknown world, and rejecting the conventions of life. In Gen Gen's eyes, the companionship and care of a smart and brave mother day and night constitute the most dazzling world. From birth to now, the family has gone through many painful stages and can definitely do better. With this belief, they will solve the problems in front of them one by one.
Lying on the massage bed one by one
Group photo of Gen Gen and Mom
After attending the award ceremony this time, he had a runny nose and his mother was worried that he might get sick. In order to avoid Gegen getting sick in hospital, my mother needs to spend a lot of time every day to help him do various physical treatments and massage muscles. She also learned acupuncture and moxibustion and massage techniques to carry out daily care for Gegen. In January of this year, my family got COVID-19. Gengen had a fever on the first day, which was very uncomfortable. But after acupuncture and moxibustion and massage, the fever basically subsided. My mother also likes to tell Gengen Chinese idiom stories and "The Art of War" to help him understand traditional Chinese culture.
The teacher said his talent is comparable to Hawking's
He loves mathematics and physics, as well as writing poetry
"Making up classes" never caused him trouble. Lou Yingen told reporters, "My mother has taught me mathematics since I was young and provided me with tutoring. I have never attended a formal school, but I learned it based on my interests. I enjoy doing interesting things, and what I am interested in is learning mathematics."
Lou Ingen's mathematical talent was demonstrated early on, and he began to be exposed to calculus in the fourth grade of elementary school. At the age of 18, he was admitted to Harvard University, California Institute of Technology, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the same time. In the end, he chose Massachusetts Institute of Technology to major in physics and mathematics, and achieved full or close to full marks in both of his university courses.
Rooted in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus
Apart from occasionally feeling lonely, Gen Gen enjoys chatting about mathematics with like-minded teachers and friends. Despite the numerous assignments at MIT, it is widely believed that the happiest thing is to discuss mathematics and physics, pester teachers with questions, and immerse oneself in the knowledge universe of thinking. Huang Huihua told reporters that once Gengen and the professor of quantum mechanics had a heated discussion for nearly three hours. Due to the need for outsiders to help with the restroom, my mother, who was waiting outside, was extremely anxious and said, "Why hasn't she come out yet?"
Famous physicist and MIT professor Alan Gus is the founder of the inflation model in cosmology. During a review class, he noticed Lou Ingen and found that this young man had a profound and very advanced thinking, posing unexpected questions. Therefore, he decided to invite Lou Ingen to conduct research together. Throughout the summer of 2023, Lou Ingen specialized in studying black holes under the guidance of Professor Alan Gus. "His talent is comparable to that of Hawking."
Professor Alan Gus once worked with Hawking and believed that Lou Ingen and Hawking were very similar, with exceptional talents, full of curiosity and keen insight into the universe, and both had surprising enthusiasm and optimism for life and research. Lou Yingen has a passion for mathematics and physics, and he believes that mathematics and physics interact intricately in life.
Gen Gen also likes philosophy, so he took a minor in philosophy. Recently, a topic of discussion is "free consciousness" - whether people want to do something themselves or have already been decided to do it like a machine?
Regarding whether ChatGPT will replace the brain of mathematicians, Lou Ingen believes, "I think it has made great progress. In mathematics, I mostly do difficult problems, and I mainly focus on physics. I haven't learned some mathematical theories, so I ask it questions, but many of them are wrong. It may say the name of a theory, and I will look up that name, which is indeed useful and helpful."
The body is imprisoned, but the soul is flying freely. Lou Ingen enjoys playing chess and card games, watching ATP tennis matches, and is fascinated by Federer. He also particularly enjoys listening to Wang Feng's songs. He loves the beauty of logical rigor in mathematics and physics, and also enjoys the beauty of poetic language. He wrote poetry for his mother who loves planting, for his sister who left home to study in college, and for a 2-year-old child who passed away with ALS.
If there is only one day left in my life, I hope to spend it on more meaningful things. When I was a child, I loved playing competitive games and even became addicted to them for a period of time. Later, he realized that games took up too much time and chose to focus on learning. Gen Gen told reporters that winning a prize is not just about one's own achievements, but also proof of the collective resilience, passion, and determination in the face of great difficulties. "When we pursue mathematics, we express a belief that no matter how difficult a problem may seem, there is a solution. I hope that all of us can embody this spirit in our lives, facing every challenge with resilience, empathy, and creativity."
Ziniu News Reporter | Zhang Nan
