First man with AS scales world's highest mountain

Chongqing native with incurable disease achieves dreams through perseverance

At age 13, Wang Minglong was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) — a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the joints and ligaments of the spine — and was told that he might spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Some two decades later, with 18 titanium-alloy pins in his body and an inflexible spine, the 34-year-old became the first person in the world with the disease to scale the world's tallest peak Mount Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West.

After years of preparations, on May 18, he finally stood on the top of the world, demonstrating the power of passion, courage and perseverance.