Charles Teves
A doctor has gone viral after sharing her inspiring story on social media.
Dr. Zed Zha’s May 14 tweet describing how her mother gave her a chance at life has been viewed over 10 million times.
Dr. Zha said she was “misdiagnosed” with brain damage at birth & put up for adoption but her mother refused to let her go.
“My mother climbed over the walls of the facility & stole me out. ‘Your only child will be stupid.’ They said when they caught her. She signed the papers. My mother gave me life twice. I gave her everything I am,” she wrote.
I was misdiagnosed with brain damage at birth & put up for adoption. My mother climbed over the walls of the facility & stole me out. “Your only child will be stupid.” They said when they caught her. She signed the papers. My mother gave me life twice. I give her everything I am. pic.twitter.com/gUQZOcisbI
— Zed Zha, MD, FAAFP is on submission (@DrZedZha) May 14, 2023
In a blog, the doctor shared a longer version of the story.
Born in the late 1980s in China, Dr. Zha’s prospects for a bright future were cut short when her parents decided to give her up for adoption. This was only days after she was born.
Dr. Zha said she suspected her mother was unaware of the family’s decision to give her up for adoption.
Poverty was a major concern for her family, and they believed that relinquishing Dr. Zha was necessary for upward mobility.
Despite her difficult start, Dr. Zha’s unwavering determination drove her to become a successful physician. Her mother, who bravely climbed over the adoption facility walls to find her, focused on their connection. She spoke of the certainty she felt when hearing her cry in the dar
Note: I do NOT think people with brain damage are “stupid”. The quote does not reflect my view (I was a baby) and this happened 30+ years ago in China, during the One Child Policy generation. 🥹❤️ Also I turned out ok. Thank you. 🥹🥰 Happy #MotherDay !
— Zed Zha, MD, FAAFP (@DrZedZha) May 14, 2023
When confronted by police as she tried to take her baby, Dr. Zha’s mother fought back tears and staunchly defended her actions. She refused to accept the “stupid” label attached to her daughter and refused to give up on her.
The adoption facility doctors were cold and unsympathetic when Dr. Zha’s mother arrived to retrieve her. They presented her with a stack of papers declaring that her baby was unfit to be taken home.
Dr. Zha’s mother stood strong and held her daughter close, despite feeling overwhelmed. She noticed that only Dr. Zha recognized her mother’s footsteps and cried out for her. This made her feel that her child was special and invaluable. Her mother’s intuition was strong, and she knew she had to keep her daughter close to her.
Dr. Zha’s mother bravely signed the “Against Medical Advice” document. According to her, her daughter had no intellectual disability, so she was keeping her. With confidence, she threw the papers back at the officers and walked away with her child. She was ready to begin the next chapter in their lives together.
People in Dr. Zha’s neighborhood gossiped about her mother and her “stupid” child. Despite their discouragement, Dr. Zha’s mother was determined to prove them wrong.
She took Dr. Zha to after-school science lessons and wept tears of joy when Dr. Zha was admitted to Peking University. When Dr. Zha graduated from medical school, her mother’s doubts were erased.
With each achievement milestone, they rewrote their lives’ stories, defying expectations and defining themselves.
