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During the flood season, the water level of the Yongding River rises significantly compared to normal times. Families on both sides of the river would tell their children to stay away from the river when playing.

But the accident still happened.

At around 12 noon on August 10, Luan Liuwei took his two daughters to visit the Xing'an Lake Ecological Park in Gu'an County, Hebei Province. When they reached the Xiaosunguo section of the Yongding River, they saw three children accidentally fall into the water, and a parent who was trying to rescue them was also trapped in the river.

At the critical moment, Luan Liuwei stepped forward and successfully rescued three children with the help of many enthusiastic people. However, when Luan Liuwei returned to the deep water area to rescue the children's parents, he sank into the water due to exhaustion.

Luan Liuwei's life ended at the age of 41. On August 20, the body of Luan Liuwei, the hero who saved lives, was cremated at the Gu'an County Funeral Home, and his ashes were transported back to his hometown, Liang Village, Ningyang County, under the escort of relevant departments of Ningyang County, Tai'an City.

The place where Luan Liuwei died

The first one rushed into the river to rescue people

"Dad went to the river to save people, and he hasn't come out yet..." At about 1 pm on August 10, Xue Qiaoyan, who was busy in the hot pot restaurant, received a crying call from her eldest daughter. Xue Qiaoyan felt like the whole world was about to collapse, so she left her work at the hot pot restaurant and rushed to the scene.

From the hot pot restaurant in Haidian District, Beijing, to the Xiaosunguo section of Yongding River in Gu'an County where the incident occurred, this 80-kilometer journey is the longest journey Xue Qiaoyan has ever walked in her life. It was Chinese Valentine's Day, and the traffic was very congested. Along the way, she repeatedly called her eldest daughter and asked, "Have you found your father?"

At around 4pm, when Xue Qiaoyan arrived at the scene, the rescue team had already fished Luan Liuwei's body ashore. Seeing Luan Liuwei's body, Xue Qiaoyan's tears flowed like a river.

Peng Jianqiang, a villager from Dongwei Village in Gu'an County who participated in the rescue of the drowning children with Luan Liuwei, said that on the day of the incident, he and Luan Liuwei and others participated in a club event. When they were about to board the bus to return after the event, they heard someone shouting for help, "Three children fell into the water, and the parent of another child was also trapped."

"Luan Liuwei was the first one to rush into the river to save people." Peng Jianqiang told reporters that Luan Liuwei dragged the child who fell into the river to the shallow water. The situation was urgent at the time and there were no tools at hand. He and several enthusiastic people helped pull the child ashore.

The water level of the Yongding River was high during the flood season, and it had rained heavily the day before, so the water level rose significantly. "In the deep water, even those who can swim don't dare to go across, but Luan Liuwei still returned to the deep water area and went to rescue the child and his parents with another enthusiastic person," Peng Jianqiang recalled. In the end, probably due to exhaustion, all three people sank. "It only took a few minutes before they could no longer be seen," Peng Jianqiang said regretfully.

Luan Liuwei (first from right) takes a photo with his sister and brother

A warm heart willing to help others

"I always feel that he has not left, he is hiding somewhere..." On the evening of August 18, when the reporter met Xue Qiaoyan, she looked haggard and still refused to accept the fact that her husband Luan Liuwei had passed away. Recalling what happened on August 10, she said how she hoped it was just a nightmare.

Time goes back to 23 years ago. In 2001, Hunan girl Xue Qiaoyan and Luan Liuwei met in Beijing. At that time, Xue Qiaoyan worked in a clothing store, and Luan Liuwei often drove an Alto to deliver goods to the clothing store. "One time he didn't eat after delivering goods, so I bought him a hamburger. He said I was the first person to buy him a meal." Xue Qiaoyan recalled that since then, the relationship between the two has been getting better and better.

Xue Qiaoyan and Luan Liuwei got married in 2006. "At that time, our conditions were limited, so we held a simple wedding ourselves." Xue Qiaoyan said that because she was not well-off at the time, she only bought one wedding ring, and she has been wearing it on her hand all these years without taking it off.

Xue Qiaoyan said that what attracted her to Luan Liuwei was his warm heart to help others. "When others couldn't back up, he would help them direct the way, or even help them back up themselves; when a car drove into a one-way street, he would chase them from a distance to remind them that they would be photographed; when a sanitation worker's cup was empty while sweeping the street, he would help them pour water..." In Xue Qiaoyan's memory, Luan Liuwei was always so warm and optimistic.

Luan Liuwei went to Beijing after graduating from junior high school at the age of 16. He worked in the clothing industry and later worked in a private hospital. He was very good at social activities. In 2017, Luan Liuwei and Xue Qiaoyan took out their savings over the years and decided to start their own business. They rented a store in Haidian District, Beijing, and joined a mutton spine hot pot restaurant.

"We didn't make any money in the first year of opening the store, and then we encountered the three-year epidemic. The hot pot restaurant could not provide dine-in services and it was difficult to take out, so we lost a lot of money. After the epidemic, the hot pot restaurant began to get on track, but the rented store was facing demolition." Xue Qiaoyan said that they rented a new store in April this year and business gradually improved.

Luan Liuwei and his wife worked hard in Beijing all year round, leaving their two daughters in their hometown to be taken care of by their parents. During the summer vacation, the 13-year-old eldest daughter and the 3-year-old youngest daughter came to Beijing to reunite with their parents. August 10 was the youngest daughter's 3rd birthday. Xue Qiaoyan was watching the store, and Luan Liuwei planned to take a day off to play with the children. Unexpectedly, they were separated forever.

“It’s such a pity that he died so young.”

"Such a good person is gone just like that. I still can't accept it." Lv Fengchai, a clerk at Luan Liuwei's hot pot restaurant, said with regret. In her eyes, Luan Liuwei was humorous and witty, just like a big brother next door, and never acted like a boss. "We get along like brothers and sisters. I usually call him brother. When we have any difficulties, I go to him for advice, and he helps us without hesitation." Lv Fengchai said.

Last year, when Lv Fengchai's husband was working in a restaurant in Fengtai District, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was sent to the hospital. The sudden incident made this migrant worker from the countryside panic. She quickly asked Luan Liuwei for help. "At that time, Mr. Luan drove me to the hospital without saying a word. He was busy running around, including later contacting my husband's unit. He was the one who showed up. I was really moved." Lv Fengchai said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

Upon hearing the news of Luan Liuwei's death, Yu Honghui, the Party Secretary of Liang Village, his hometown, burst into tears. "This child was so kind, it's such a pity that he died at such a young age of 41." Yu Honghui said that a few days before the incident, Luan Liuwei posted some job positions in the Liang Village WeChat group to help villagers find jobs.

"Many people in the village found jobs in the city with the help of my brother." In the eyes of his sister Luan Junhua, Luan Liuwei is a very righteous and responsible person who is willing to make sacrifices. "He once organized donations for children from the same village who had leukemia, and also participated in supporting children in need in disaster areas."

In Luan Liuwei's hometown Liang Village, many people are regretting his departure. On August 20, upon learning that Luan Liuwei's soul was returning to his hometown, the villagers spontaneously went to Luan Liuwei's village house to help, and the local government sent wreaths. "I have dealt with Luan Liuwei before. This child is very good and likes to participate in charity activities in the village." Villager He Chengxin said that he also came to help welcome the hero home.

Local villagers lined the streets to welcome

He is proposed to be declared a martyr

Early in the morning of August 20, the funeral home in Gu'an County was crowded with people. People came from all directions, holding flowers or white chrysanthemums, to bid farewell to the body of the hero who saved people, Luan Liuwei. After the cremation of Luan Liuwei's body, his ashes were escorted by relevant departments of Ningyang County and set off on the road back to his hometown, Liang Village, Ningyang County.

At 3:30 pm, Xue Qiaoyan held her husband's ashes and returned to the place where Luan Liuwei grew up. The exit of Ningyang Expressway and Liangcun Street were filled with local people who came to welcome the hero home. They held chrysanthemums and banners with the words "Luan Liuwei's hometown people welcome you home" and "The loyal soul returns to his hometown, and his noble spirit will live forever" to pay tribute to the hero.

Luan Liuwei's heroic deeds have also attracted strong attention from all walks of life. On August 11, the Management Committee of Beijingnan Gu'an High-tech Industrial Development Zone in Hebei Province sent a letter to the People's Government of Ningyang County, Ningyang County, Luan Liuwei's hometown, "Regarding the Advanced Deeds of Comrade Luan Liuwei", stating that "in order to promote social integrity and publicize advanced deeds, we are actively applying for the title of bravery for Comrade Luan Liuwei". At the same time, the Political and Legal Committee of Gu'an County Party Committee immediately initiated the identification procedure and launched an investigation and verification of the rescue of Luan Liuwei and six other comrades.

On the evening of August 16, the website of the Gu'an County People's Government issued a public notice on the proposed confirmation of the heroic acts of Luan Liuwei and six others, confirming that Luan Liuwei and six other comrades, in response to the cries for help from strangers, disregarded their personal safety and gains and losses, stepped forward at the first time, rescued the drowning people, and saved the precious lives of the people, which was true and met the criteria of heroic acts.

During this period, Ningyang County set up a special working group to go to Gu'an County, Hebei for liaison, and carried out orderly handover of relevant materials such as martyr declaration, and properly arranged matters such as support for their parents and upbringing of their children.

First, Wang Longyong rescued a mother and her child who fell into the water, and then Luan Liuwei saved three drowning children at his own risk. Good people, like a beam of starlight, light up Ningyang, a city of good people. In recent years, Ningyang County has insisted on focusing on "the stars shining brightly", launching the "Xinyi Ningyang·Good People Weekly Light" county-wide collection and selection activities, and establishing a "weekly recommendation, monthly selection, quarterly release, and annual praise" recommendation and selection system for "good people around you". At the same time, combined with the selection of industry models and village "Four Virtues List" characters, let "good people around you" and other models stand out.

Not only in Ningyang, but also in the vast land of Qi and Lu, whether in cities or in the countryside, civilian heroes like Luan Liuwei can be found everywhere. On May 31, Qi Hongbo, a villager from Fanjia Village, Jixia Street, Linzi District, Zibo City, donated his liver, kidneys, and corneas, completing the last "rescue" in his life; on August 11, Gong Ruitao, a doctoral student at the Ocean University of China, rescued a girl who fell into the water at the Qingdao beach...

Whether it is Luan Liuwei or Wang Long, they both have the characteristics of Shandong people: chivalrous and righteous, "take action when it is time to take action". Shandong people will always give you simple help with down-to-earth actions; they will always warm everyone around them with a little bit of love. The "kindness" of Shandong people has been deeply engraved in everyone's heart. One civilian hero after another, one ordinary person's good deeds after another, have forged the spiritual character of "Shandong Good People".

Source: Dazhong News Client reporter Xiu Congtao and Liu Tao