Among the first group of patients transferred to West China Hospital from Baoxing county was ten-year-old Huang Xiao. The boy was buried under rubble for six hours, before his father and other helpers dug him out.
Huang Zhongmin was not at home when the earthquake hit his village. He ran back to his home, only to find it completely collapsed. His elder son and nephew crawled out of the debris.
But the younger son, ten-year-old Huang Xiao was missing.
Huang Zhongmin said, "I couldn’t find him anywhere. His uncle and I were shouting his name. Then we heard a reply."
Huang Xiao was calling back from deep under the rubble. It took his father and over 100 other helpers six hours to dig him out. His father suffered severe cuts in the left leg and chin in the aftershocks.
But nothing compared to the pain of seeing the injuries to his youngest son.
Huang Zhongmin said, "His head was pressed completely out of shape. There were multiple injuries on his chest and legs and there were fractures as well."
A race was on to save the young boy’s life. Huang Zhongmin had to carry his son to the local hospital, as no other transport was available.
He and other three men carried Huang Xiao through falling stones and constant aftershocks.
Huang Zhongmin said, "Five volunteers, one woman and four men caught up with us on the road. They offered to help."
It took them two hours to carry Huang Xiao to the nearest medical care center. The boy is now in a stable condition and on the way to recovery.
His father says there are simply too many people to thank, for saving his boy’s life.