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2:28PM, May 12, 2008, Sichuan Province, southwestern China - - a day of tragedy and death, the birth of courage and heroes.
The depth of the Sichuan earthquake tragedy seems never ending, but amid it all amazing stories continue to emerge. Many, reported in the Chinese media, are now being translated into other languages. Fei Lai and Nie Xin compiled these from www.sichuan-earthquake.org and some Chinese Websites
Grandma, father shield granddaughter with their bodies
At about 3:30pm on May 13, it was raining heavily. The rescue team was told a baby was heard crying from the ruins of a collapsed house in Luoshui Town, Shifang City.
The captain of the team, He Yan, rushed to the site with another four rescuers. At the site, they could hear a faint cry from the rubble. They quickly dug a passage and cleared away the debris. After 40 minutes they saw an unforgettable sight.
A girl, about 2 years old, was waving her small hands about with a dazed and exhausted look in her eyes. Above her was an old woman and a man. The man's body was badly battered, holding up a broken beam. The old woman's head was drooping lifelessly, but her hands were still clasping the young girl.
There was no time for He to wipe his tears away. He grabbed the little girl, who was barely breathing, and ran to medical staff.
It is believed the old woman was the little girl's grandmother and the man the girl's father.
Girl tells rescuers: Get out, it's too dangerous
On May 16, a rescue team began their work at Deyang Dongqi Experimental Middle School.
When the earthquake struck the city on May 12 during class time, it caused the four-story building to collapse burying approximately 200 teachers and students. As the hours passed, the probability of survival was dropping, but the rescue team finally found a girl trapped in a narrow passage. Rubble near the passage made rescue work difficult but after two hours the team had managed to dig a hole big enough for an adult to crawl through. Zhang Yanjun crawled forward into the passage to check the vital signs of the girl. As she was administrating painkiller injections to the girl, the girl spoke weakly: "Aunty, please get out. It's too dangerous here." Zhang could not hold back her tears, realizing the child in danger was more concerned for her safety.
Fearful of causing unstable debris to collapse, the rescue team spent another two hours digging the girl out with their hands. Everyone at the scene was heartened when she was brought out of the narrow passage. Zhang immediately put the girl on an IV drip and specialist Wang Minxin checked her for injuries. The girl, Tang Jingwen, is only 12 years old. Both of her legs were broken in the earthquake and she is unable to stand. Yet in the eyes of the rescue team, her spirit has surpassed her physical state.
23 hours with 92-year-old man on back
At 7am on May 15, a group of policemen started trekking to Huanle Valley, a tourist spot in Hongbai County, Shifang City, that rescuers had yet to reach. They finally arrived at 6pm on May 16.
They then embarked on a 23-hour walk back, bringing with them survivors, both injured and uninjured, and a group of elderly people including a man, 92.
"So far he's the oldest person who has been rescued. It is truly a miracle," said Pu Jinhui, chief of Wuhan General Hospital who was in charge of the rescue effort.
"He's generally well except for fractures in both legs," saids the doctor. Hearing this, the policeman standing by the old man's side smiled with relief. The policeman had piggybacked the man throughout the 23-hour walk.
The old man, who is also deaf and almost blind, was found at Muguaping, Hongbai County, which is still inaccessible by road.
Selfless parents' sacrifice for child
On the afternoon of May 14 in Beichuan, 3-year-old Song Xinyi was rescued from the debris of a collapsed house.
The day before, rescuers had discovered two unfortunate adults trapped in the house. Sheltered beneath their bodies was a little girl with big, expressive eyes. According to rescuers, the little girl was found at 8am. But due to a fallen wall that had trapped the adults and the girl, they were unable to rescue her without the use of special tools.
The general belief was that adults had shielded the girl with their bodies.
(www.sichuan-earthquake.org)
Child, we will be together, next life
Child
my child
hold on to Mommy's hand
the way to Heaven
is too dark
Mommy is afraid
you might lose your way
Come
hold on to Mommy's hand tight
let Mommy
leave the world together with you
the way to Heaven
is too dark
Mommy
is afraid
you can't find your hands
After
the light
had been taken away by the fallen walls
I can't
see your gentle eyes
anymore
Child
go on
there's no more grief on the road ahead
no more textbooks you don't like
no more spankings from your loving Daddy
But
you must remember
the faces of your Mommy
and your Daddy
we will spend our next life
together
Mommy, Mommy
don't worry
I am not alone on the way
friends and classmates are here
Mommy, Mommy,
don't cry,
every mommy is our mommy,
every child has a mommy,
the life without me,
give your love to the surviving children
Mommy, Mommy
I don't want you to cry
tears can't lighten the way
this is our way
let us walk by myself
step by step
Mommy, Mommy
I will remember you and Daddy
I will remember our promise
live our next life
together ...
Touching moments
Moment 1:
When the woman was found by rescuers, it was clear she had died under a collapsed house. But under her body was a well-protected 3- to 4-month-old baby. The mother had bent down on both knees, keeping her hands on the floor to provide a safe space for her baby. When the baby was pulled clear a cell phone was discovered in his clothing. A text message on the screen read: "My dear baby, if you can survive, do remember that I loved you!"
Moment 2:
When the earthquake happened, a girl was talking on the phone to her boyfriend in Sichuan. They lost contact but 30 minutes later the boy sent the last text message of his life: "I miss you. Let's get married." The boy remains missing but the girl believes he is the bravest guy in the world. "He was still missing me at the last moment of his life," she said.
Moment 3:
Eleven-year-old Zhang Jiwan lost his grandfather and grandmother when the earthquake hit. But he then trekked 12 hours with his 3-year-old sister on his back, until being met by a rescue team.
Moment 4:
7:30am on May 17, beside a collapsed building in Sichuan, 31 Japanese rescuers stood in two rows to mourn for 27-year-old Song Xuemei and her 75-day-old daughter. After battling for 14 hours, they were unable save the life of the young mum and her little daughter.
Moment 5:
A man who lost his wife in the earthquake insisted on carrying her body out of the ruins - bound on his back - and to the mortuary. |
