ending of a China hero

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He once single-handedly saved three people on the streets of Zhuhai, but two years later, unable to afford medical treatment, he ended his life in a hospital.

On August 4, 2005, at noon, a loud crash echoed from Ruikang Hospital in Nanning, Guangxi. A 25-year-old man fell from a high-rise building and never woke up again. What's even harder to accept is that this young man, driven to despair by illness and poverty, was, two years earlier, a hero who bravely stepped forward to save a life on the streets of Zhuhai, single-handedly.

His name was Wei Zhao'an.

No one could have imagined that this man who rushed to save others in a moment of crisis would, when he needed help the most, be left without anyone to pull him back from the abyss.

Two days earlier, he had returned to his hometown to have dinner with his family, sitting at the table chatting and laughing, as if he were simply visiting relatives. His younger brother, Wei Zhaoning, could never have imagined that his brother was already suffering unbearable pain, nor could he have imagined that when he left for a short while to buy something, his brother would have already left this world in the most decisive way.

The tragedy began in Zhuhai in the winter of 2003.

That evening, a female teacher was walking home from work when she encountered a knife-wielding assailant in an alley. In the critical moment, Wei Zhaoan, who happened to be passing by, rushed forward without hesitation.

He wasn't a martial arts expert, nor a well-trained policeman; he was just an ordinary security guard. But in that moment, he didn't consider the possibility of injury, nor whether it was worth it. Driven by the most instinctive kindness, he shielded the victim.

The price was heavy.

During the struggle, he was stabbed multiple times by the assailant, collapsing in a pool of blood. He was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital, and doctors performed three major surgeries to pull him back from the brink of death.

After the incident became known, the Zhuhai Municipal Government awarded him the title of "Advanced Individual in Righteous and Courageous Acts" and a reward of 10,000 yuan.

On the surface, this seems like a perfect story of a hero saving a life and receiving recognition. But reality is never over once the certificate is awarded.

That fight left Wei Zhaoan with lifelong injuries. His rectum was pierced, and he suffered multiple injuries to his buttocks and legs. The once energetic young man could barely walk; his old injuries flared up frequently, and the pain, follow-up examinations, and medication became an inescapable shadow over his life.

Even more cruelly, he had no money for treatment.

Wei Zhaoan's family lived in a rural area of Guangxi. Life was already difficult. He had to care for his grandparents and great-grandmother. His father, worn out from years of hard work, was hunched over in his fifties and unable to do heavy labor. His mother was also in poor health, missing a kidney. The only breadwinners in the family were Wei Zhaoan and his younger brother.

But after his injury, he became the one most in need of money.

He didn't keep the 10,000 yuan prize money for his own medical treatment; instead, he sent it all home.

He wasn't unaware that his injury couldn't be delayed, nor that he needed regular checkups. But every time he thought of the medical expenses, he endured it, toughing it out when the old injury flared up. Only when the pain became unbearable would he buy a few painkillers, because he knew better than anyone that every penny he spent meant less for his family.

In April 2004, he returned to his hometown in Guangxi from Zhuhai, not telling his family about his severe injury, even hiding his certificate of bravery.

His family only noticed his increasing silence, worsening complexion, and declining health, unaware that this seemingly resilient young man was carrying a heavy burden unseen by anyone.

Until early August 2005, Wei Zhaoan returned home to visit relatives. The following evening, he suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain, and his younger brother rushed him to Nanning Ruikang Hospital.

The examination revealed severe intestinal obstruction.

Wei Zhaoan knew a little medicine, and upon hearing the diagnosis, his heart sank. He knew this illness would be difficult to treat and expensive, and for this family, every medical expense felt like a mountain.

Lying in his hospital bed, he repeatedly murmured, "If I can't be cured, what's the point of living?"

His younger brother comforted him, saying the doctors could definitely cure him, but Wei Zhaoan knew in his heart that whether the doctors could cure him was one thing, and whether the family had the money for treatment was another.

At noon on August 4th, he sent his brother away, saying he wanted something to eat and asked his brother to go out and buy it.

After his brother left, he walked into the final darkness of his life.

After Wei Zhaoan passed away, his brother, while sorting through his belongings, discovered the certificate of bravery that he had hidden.

At that moment, Wei Zhaoning finally understood why his brother had always been so preoccupied these past two years, why he refused to go to the hospital despite feeling unwell, and why a once so brave person had been driven to desperation by illness and poverty.

After the news spread, many people spontaneously donated money, and condolences were sent from Zhuhai and Nanning.

But it was all too late.

Wei Zhaoan would never see it.

What's most chilling is that he wasn't unseen; he was recognized, praised, and awarded honors. But once those honors were bestowed, he remained an ordinary person who felt pain, illness, poverty, and despair.

A certificate can prove his courage, but it can't alleviate his pain.

A 10,000 yuan reward can express gratitude, but it can't cover the medical expenses for the rest of his life.

Therefore, the real question isn't why he rushed to save the person, but whether society has the capacity to support someone who pays such a heavy price for saving a life.

Wei Zhaoan once said that anyone would have stood up in that situation.

He didn't regret saving the person.

But the most heartbreaking thing is that a hero who didn't regret saving a life ultimately chose to leave because he couldn't afford medical treatment.

Heroes are also ordinary people; they get hurt, they feel fear, and they worry about medical expenses in the dead of night.

What they need is not just applause, certificates, and a "well done!" in the news; it needs long-term treatment, living assistance, psychological support, and genuine social security.

Wei Zhaoan was only 25 years old when he passed away.

He saved someone else's life, but he didn't get to save his own.

The most heartbreaking part of this story isn't the hero's death, but that we finally understand that without support, even courage can be crushed by reality.

Don't let the next person who steps forward bear all the pain alone after the applause fades.

Heroes shouldn't end up like this.