In 2015, a boy named Pham Tieu Can (then 8 years old, from Vinh Phong district, Jiangxi province, China) suddenly became extremely famous in the media, for the sole reason that he looked very much like billionaire Jack Ma - the owner of Alibaba.
From poor boy to internet star overnight
The internet phenomenon “little Jack Ma” emerged unintentionally after some young people in the village posted photos of Tieu Can online. The boy’s image created a media frenzy, to the point that Jack Ma himself had to say: “This kid really looks like me when I was a kid.”
Tieu Can surprisingly resembles billionaire Jack Ma
Then, like many other internet phenomena, the boy Tieu Can was sought after by the media. From a child who did not even know who Jack Ma was, Tieu Can earned a lot of money and fame because of this coincidence of appearance.
Of course, the entertainment industry's managers couldn't ignore Little Jack Ma. Many managers came to his home to convince Xiao Can's parents to sign a contract with the company, taking him to events and doing commercials. Because they were poor farmers with little knowledge, the family quickly agreed, believing that their son would be able to go to school and have a much better life.
Pham Tieu Can was sent to live in a big city. However, contrary to the original promise, the boy did not have time to go to school, most of Tieu Can's time was spent participating in many variety shows, attending events. The 8-year-old rural boy had to wear a suit, dress "exaggeratedly", and sit in a supercar to attract attention.
8 year old boy changed his life overnight
During that time, Little Jack Ma was given a lot of work, collaborated with many stars and even acted in movies. But at an age where he still loved to eat and play, Little Can did not want to work so much. He cried and expressed that he wanted to go home to his parents, but of course his manager did not care.
The huge amount of money that Little Jack Ma earned during that time also mainly belonged to his boss. Pham Tieu Can himself and his family did not benefit much.
The tragedy of a child being exploited by adults
Little Jack Ma's popularity gradually faded away. After no one invited him to participate in the show anymore, Little Can was sent back to his hometown.
Life after being brought to the village was a series of tragic days. Having been used to a prosperous life in the big city, the 10-year-old boy was extremely uncomfortable returning to the countryside. His family was extremely poor, the family did not have a stable source of income. Both his parents were disabled: his father had lost a leg, his mother was blind and had intellectual problems.
Both Little Jack Ma and Little Jack Ma were mentally retarded children who often had no one to take care of them. After Xiao Can was sent back to his hometown, he returned to his original life, wearing ragged and dirty clothes every day, not having enough to eat at each meal, and not being able to go to school.
Pham Tieu Can after returning home
Every day, the famous Little Jack Ma wandered around the streets of the village. When someone asked him who he was, Xiao Can simply said, "I am Little Jack Ma." In 2021, when the media came to report on the current Little Jack Ma, Xiao Can had not changed much. He was still the same height as the 8-year-old boy back then and could not calculate basic numbers. The doctor's examination later determined that Pham Tieu Can had a second-degree intellectual disability and "dwarfism."
The Pham family is still struggling as before as the whole family is sick. Tieu Can and his brother do not go to school. The family of four still mainly depends on subsidies from the local government and the generosity of benefactors.
Little Jack Ma's Family
Pham Tieu Can was originally an unlucky boy, with a poor family background and a mentally handicapped child. After accidentally becoming famous for a while, he was "knocked out" of his original miserable life and became even more tragic. Instead of taking advantage of his luck, the child was taken advantage of and exploited by adults.
In January 2024, Jiangxi Cultural Tourism Bureau invited Little Jack Ma to participate in filming a local tourism promotional video. After many years of being forgotten, Fan Xiaoqin was once again in the spotlight. However, along with positive opinions, there were also criticisms because they thought that the boy had not made any significant contributions or achievements to become such a tourism ambassador.
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