Chinese former model and makeup artist Tong Shiyao has turned her tragic experience into a source of strength and inspiration after suffering severe facial disfigurement from a gas explosion at her home.
The 27-year-old from Liaoning, China, was critically injured on March 31 when her father lit a cigarette inside their house, triggering an explosion due to a gas leak. The blast destroyed their home and left all three family members with severe burns, according to the South China Morning Post.
Before the accident, Tong was widely known for her makeup tutorials. She sustained second-degree burns covering 14% of her body, while her parents suffered burns over 70% of their skin and were admitted to intensive care. After five months of treatment, her parents stabilized, and Tong herself has shown remarkable recovery.
Shifting her focus from beauty vlogging, Tong now shares her family’s ongoing recovery journey. Despite her pain, she remains optimistic to give strength to her parents. “I used to feel like I was just a child. Now it feels as if I grew up overnight,” she said.
Her hands, badly burned, prevent her from returning to makeup work, and medical bills have already reached 1 million yuan (about USD 140,000), exhausting the family’s savings and forcing them to borrow extensively.
Still, Tong has gained nearly 190,000 followers on social media—170,000 of them joining after the explosion—where she documents recovery efforts, receives support and donations, and raises awareness of fire safety. She has even promoted products such as fire extinguishers to encourage public vigilance.
She personally assists her father with a medical mask designed to heal facial burns and ensures her family has access to the best recovery equipment. Yet, frustration remains as the gas supplier refuses responsibility and authorities have not provided investigation results, leaving the family uncompensated.
Despite the hardships, the family has stayed united. Tong’s boyfriend has stood by her side throughout, drawing praise and emotional support from netizens. “Burns are among the most excruciating pains imaginable. I wish you the strength to overcome this,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “She is incredibly strong and optimistic despite such misfortune.”
Sources: Znews
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