‘Ordinary hero’: Chinese food delivery driver dies trying to save elderly woman, community raises money for young family
- The driver jumped into a river after noticing an elderly woman slip and fall into the water
- The community rallied to save money for the man, who left behind a wife, a young daughter and two elderly parents
A community in central China launched a fundraising campaign to support the family of a delivery man who died while trying to save a drowning woman last week.
Wang’s wife said, “My husband is very obedient to his parents and I will try my best to support this family. I will do it for him.”
Residents banded together to support Wang’s family after learning he took care of two ailing parents and has a 6-year-old daughter. Fundraisers took to the streets on Sunday to appeal to the public to support an “ordinary hero”.
One woman said: “I passed by and saw the donation poster, so I gave a bit of money. His death hurts my heart.”
The three-hour campaign, in which activists sang karaoke on the street to attract the public’s attention, raised around 7,000 yuan (US$1,100), which will be given to Wang’s family.
Meituan, the food delivery platform Wang was using at the time of his death, promised to pay for the tuition and living costs of Wang’s daughter until she turns 18 years old.
The truck driver who ordered the food said he felt “shocked and guilty” when he discovered that Wang was delivering his meal when the accident happened.
“If I had not made the order, this delivery man would not have died,” said the driver, surnamed Guo, who said he would make a donation to Wang’s family.
