My Brother Was Taken by the River

Summary

My parents always said the world had no sympathy for the weak.

So from the moment my younger brother and I could walk, they put us through what they called the 'Strong Child Program.'

At five years old, we had to run five kilometers every day. If we could not finish, we were not allowed to eat.

At seven, my brother broke his arm. My parents refused to let the doctors use anesthesia, saying enduring pain was a lesson every strong person had to learn.

At nine, I burned with a 104℉ fever. Instead of taking me to the hospital, they wiped my body with ice water and forced me to endure it…