There were so many touching stories from the Wen Chuan earthquake. I cried so many times watching the news coverage in the past week. But this forward from a friend has to rank as one of the most touching. As a salut to this mom, I have translated the original into English, so my non-Chinese-speaking friends could read it, and pass it around, too. It's a story that should not stay only within the Chinese community.
When rescuers found her, she was already dead, crushed by the collapsed house. Through gaps in the rubbles, they could see her posture.
Kneeling on both knees, her entire upper body bent forward, held up by her two hands pressed against the ground, as if performing the ceremonial bow in an ancient ritual. Except, her body had been compressed out of shape and looked somewhat eerie.
A rescuer extended his hand through a gap and confirmed her death. He called out to her, and tapped on the bricks with his shaft, but received no response.
As the team walked toward next building, the squad leader suddenly turned back, yelling as he ran, "Come quick!" He came to herremain, labored to maneuver his hand under her body, searching.
He called out following some rummaging, "There's someone, a child, still alive."
With some effort, rescuers carefully removed the debris burying her, found her child lying beneath her, bundled in a little red blanket decorated with yellow flower prints. He was about 3-4 months old.
Shielded by his mother's body, he was totally unharmed, sleeping peacefully as he was brought out. His soundly asleep face warmed the hearts of all rescuers on the scene.
As the rescue team's doctor unbundled the blanket to examine the baby, he discovered a mobile phone tucked into the blanket. He subconsciously looked at the display, found there was a SMS message. "My Dear Baby, If you were to stay alive, you must remember that I love you." No stranger to the pain and sorrow brought by death, the doctor nonetheless wept at this moment. The cell phone was passed around, every person who read the message wept.
When rescuers found her, she was already dead, crushed by the collapsed house. Through gaps in the rubbles, they could see her posture.
Kneeling on both knees, her entire upper body bent forward, held up by her two hands pressed against the ground, as if performing the ceremonial bow in an ancient ritual. Except, her body had been compressed out of shape and looked somewhat eerie.
A rescuer extended his hand through a gap and confirmed her death. He called out to her, and tapped on the bricks with his shaft, but received no response.
As the team walked toward next building, the squad leader suddenly turned back, yelling as he ran, "Come quick!" He came to herremain, labored to maneuver his hand under her body, searching.
He called out following some rummaging, "There's someone, a child, still alive."
With some effort, rescuers carefully removed the debris burying her, found her child lying beneath her, bundled in a little red blanket decorated with yellow flower prints. He was about 3-4 months old.
Shielded by his mother's body, he was totally unharmed, sleeping peacefully as he was brought out. His soundly asleep face warmed the hearts of all rescuers on the scene.
As the rescue team's doctor unbundled the blanket to examine the baby, he discovered a mobile phone tucked into the blanket. He subconsciously looked at the display, found there was a SMS message. "My Dear Baby, If you were to stay alive, you must remember that I love you." No stranger to the pain and sorrow brought by death, the doctor nonetheless wept at this moment. The cell phone was passed around, every person who read the message wept.
From: Wan Shazilah Bt. Abdul Majid
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