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Student carries physically challenged classmate to safety during earthquake

By Yan Maoqiang | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-04-07

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Zhang Zhixun carries Lele out of the classroom when earthquake tremors were felt at Xiamen Shuangshi Middle School of Fujian in Southeast China's Fujian province on Wednesday. [Screengrab/CCTV News app]

A high school student in Southeast China swiftly carried his disabled classmate to safety when he felt tremors from the 7.3-magnitude quake that hit China's Taiwan on Wednesday morning. This heroic act, captured on video, has garnered widespread praise from netizens, CCTV News reported.

The young hero in the video, identified as Zhang Zhixun, is a first-year high school student at the high school campus of Xiamen Shuangshi Middle School of Fujian, located in Xiamen, Fujian province.

The student whom Zhang rescued, nicknamed Lele, suffers from a rare condition that has led to severe atrophy and deformation of his limbs, resulting in extremely limited physical strength.

Lele, who usually relies on a wheelchair for mobility, keeps his wheelchair outside classrooms during school due to the limited room space.

At 7:58 am Wednesday, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake jolted the sea area near Hualien county in Taiwan.

11.jpegZhang Zhixun poses for a photo at Xiamen Shuangshi Middle School of Fujian in Southeast China's Fujian province. [Screengrab/CCTV News app]

When the tremors hit the school ground, Lele panicked, realizing he was unable to walk or move.

However, the video shows that Zhang soon came to the rescue, carrying Lele out of the classroom and placing him in his wheelchair, ensuring his safe transfer to a secure location along with the other classmates.

Later, when describing his experience, Lele stated that when Zhang came to pick him up, he felt "alive again".

Recalling the tremors caused by the earthquake, Zhang emphasized that he did not hesitate for a moment and his immediate reaction at the time was to ensure that Lele was not left behind, expressing his determination to carry Lele to safety.

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