18-year-old girl dies saving her classmate

Wang saved her drowning classmate.

Wang Minhan was born in 1991 and was a student majoring in liberal arts in Class 19 at Fengdu High School. She was very pretty, and was called "class belle" by her classmates. On August 26 during the summer vacation, Wang, Xiao Xuelian, Fu Yuanqi, Long Linyi, Hu Rui and several other students went to play in the countryside together. After they arrived at their destination, they went to play by the Longhe River.

As Wang's classmate Xiao told the story, Wang, Long, Hu and Fu were playing by the river at about 10am on August 26, and Xiao and several other students were playing cards some distance away from them. Half an hour later, she suddenly heard somebody shout, "Someone has fallen into the river." She immediately rushed to the riverside and found that Long had been pulled to the bank in safety, but Wang could not been seen anywhere. Wang's classmate Fu told reporters that after Long fell into the river, he rushed to the riverside and found that Wang had jumped into the river and was striving to save Long.

Then Hu, who was taking photos on the river bank, also jumped into the river. He lifted Long's head to prevent water from flowing into her mouth. Fu got hold of Hu and dragged Hu and Long to the bank. Long was saved, but Wang, who had strived to save Long, slid into deep water and soon could not been seen in the river.

Several students rushed to the bank of the river to get help. It took over 10 minutes to drag Wang from the over two-meter deep Longhe River with the help of passers-by, but she had stopped breathing.

Wang's mother is in tears all day long.

Wang's parents have still not been able to get rid of the sorrow of losing their daughter. Wang's mother Qin Tingmei said that she does not have a job. After her daughter entered high school, waiting for her daughter outside the school gate after the evening self-study class every night despite rain and snow had become her "job". In the past, she felt very happy when she saw her daughter joyfully running out of the school and when they went back home hand in hand. After her daughter died, she also lost her "job." She feels that her life has become empty. She is unable to eat and sleep well and she is in a lot of pain.

On November 5 when reporters saw Wang's father Wang Xuejin he was crying, holding his daughter's photo in his hand. He said, "She was so pretty. We have raised her for 18 years."

The secretary of the Fengdu County Party Committee called on people to learn from Wang.

Wang's brave deed has been told all over Fengdu County. The Communist Youth League of Fengdu County Committee has formally decided to posthumously award Wang the title of "Outstanding Member of China's Communist Youth League" and has called on all adolescents in the county to learn from Wang's brave deed.

Zhou Wu, deputy headmaster of Fengdu High School, said that the post-1990s generation is generally growing up greatly loved by their parents and lacking a heroic spirit. Wang is a post-1990s girl, but her brave deed of saving her classmate at the critical moment is a valuable gift. Currently, the Fengdu High School has launched donation and publicity activities.

On November 5 after learning of Wang's brave deed, Gao Bijin, secretary of the Fengdu County Party Committee, said that although she was young, Wang sacrificed her life to save her classmate, and therefore is worthy of praise and should be regarded as a model to be learned from by all people in the county.

Translated by LOTO