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Show DAILY THE CHRONICLE UTAH LlJr Jg Wmrj f L f Student Rouletto i3 n lii p a regular !frMMM LJro !hit ftiQghts students from the University L Oteh. i mi tW. - W.:. .. S rdWMTV Thoor?"o-!e- d fry 7 Liu "" are selected at random cadu v.icfc; V; tv RDpiljilfSS - i 1 ffillt V 11 . ALEX LEE Chronicle Feature Writer Ben Chou always thought there was some- 1 thing "not right" about his mother while he was growing up. "I had a feeling," Chou said. "Over the years, she seemed to favor my two sisters." Chou has never met his biological mother and grew up believing that his stepmother and stepsisters were part of his real family. It wasn't until this year that the freshman learned the truth from his grand- mother. The revelation has strained Chou's already tenuous relationship with his stepmother. "She hasn't been the nicest person to me," said Chou, who has tried to downplay the affect of the discovery on their relationship. "I have a pretty good relationship with them...but she doesn't have as much authority over me anymore." Born in Taiwan, Chou immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. He pursued many interests, partly to offset his dissatisfying home life, and he quickly excelled at anything that caught his fancy. "Ben is dedicated to whatever he does," said Curtis Eggers, who has known Chou since junior high. "He goes full steam at whatever he's doing." Soccer was Chou's first passion after arriving in Utah, and he mastered that quickly. Later, he took up rock climbing, began competing and is now the director of climbing at The Treehouse Athletic Club in Draper. At the same time, Chou started studying violin. He eventually became one of the best in the state and a member of the Utah Youth Symphony. "It was my fourth year playing the violin and his first," said Jason Maughan, who met Chou in their junior high's orchestra. "He was so much better than I." Chou's current passion is trials biking or just trials where the rider jumps and performs difficult maneuvers on obstacles not meant for bicycles. Trials riders hop onto benches, up the stairs, from boulder to boulder and even on junkyard cars. Maughan believes Chou IWV.'i' who admitted to being very shy around girls uses trials to get attention sometimes. "He'd try to crash in front of girls to get some sympathy," Maughan said. "He likes to impress the chicks. For some reason it never works. He'd do whatever he can." Dubbed as one of the "extreme" sports by the hobby also inspired Chou generation-X- , to study to be an emergency medical technician. "My friends and I were always doing dangerous things," Chou explained, "so I thought I my as well. If I get hurt, then I can treat myself." Chou was certified in June to work in Nevada, where he said the tests are easier. About a month ago, he started working as an EMT at Wendover during weekends. Chou's team routinely transfers emergency patients to Salt Lake City hospitals across the fx f J i ; I S J f 1 1 ti ' 4, 1 1 V j t?'1& u(mi ' fjt-- 'flM state border. While speeding along on one day with a patient in critical condition, a horrific accident forced Chou's ambulance to I-- 80 stop and assist. The team had to stabilize the driver, whose car was hit by a until the AirMed helicopter arrived. With massive head trauma, broken arms and possible fractured vertebrae, her chances seemed dim. "Everyone thought she was dead," Chou recalled. "There was a lot of blood on the ground. It was the first time I saw somebody that close to death." With only a few weeks of experience, Chou handled the situation calmly. Even though the sight can be gruesome at times, he craves the novelty and excitement semi-truc- k, ofiL "I really like being an EMT," said Chou, who has not decided on a major. "I like helping people. Learning about the body and the human mind is interesting." Chou considered studying psychology, but he thinks, "there are better things out there." Although he enjoys living in Utah, traveling around the world and helping people seems ideal to him now. "I don't want to stay in Utah my whole life," said Chou, who has a sore spot with the domination of The Church of Jesus Christ Performing dangerous tricks on his bike inspired Ben Chou to become an EMT. of Latter-da- y Saints. have to motivate yourself to go to class "I really don't like Mormons that much. I everyday." think the church tries to control Utah too On many mornings, Chou needs a little much," he explained. extra motivation. Every day before school, he "I don't like how they send every eats breakfast at his grandmother's house. on missions," Chou continued. "The "If I don't show up," said Chou, whose Chinese name is Chang Po, "then she knows I'm young missionaries don't even understand themselves. How are they going to teach still sleeping, and she gives me a call." other people?" With a multitude of interests and skills Regardless, Chou is content to stay here backing him up, Chou may have an exciting for now. His uncle, a professor in the Departcareer ahead of him. ment of Language and Literature, recomBut to get through the next four years, he mended the U to Chou. So far, Chou has will have to apply the same dedication to school that he has applied to his previous enjoyed the college experience here. "I like the environment and the way peohobbies. If that isn't enough, at least he has an ple do things," Chou said. "You have to g depend on yourself a lot more. Professors grandmother on his side. don't care if you go to class or not, so you aleechronicle.utah.edu early-risin- vm CHRONICLE FEATURE EDITOR CASSANDRA HARTLEY CHARTLEYCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU 581-704- 1 |