Volunteer faces amputation after injury in earthquake relief work, says he feels sorry for not being able to help others

source: Xinhua net, May 24, 2008, Xinhua´s quoted source: 金羊网-新快报 (Jin Yang Wang – Xin Kuai Bao)

posted: 2008-05-29

Wang Peng, a senior student, a volunteer who came from Chengdu. After the earthquake occured, he, who had been orphaned as a child, joined a volunteer group and went to a county within the earth quake zone, them being some of the first on the road. On May 16, around 1:30 hours, as he was following some military reservists´ vehicle, a 5.9 degrees aftershock occured, a rock smashed his left leg. "I'm feeling sorry. I haven't contributed any efforts, and have instead become a burden to the disaster area myself." His short statement made warm tears run from the journalists´ eyes. At a young age, Wang Peng had lost both his parents, and it was his grandmother who raised him. "Being an orphan myself, I know that kind of bitterness", Wang Peng said. Later on, Wang Peng was taken to the Number 453 PLA Hospital in Chengdu by helicopter.

Yesterday, the journalists saw Wang Peng in hospital. He lay on a bed, with a lot of swathe around his left leg, and behind his calm expression, the journalists saw distress.

According to the doctor in charge of his treatment, the injuries to Wang´s left leg were too serious, the muscle tissue around the wound had become necrotic, and an amputation had probably to be made.

"Do you regret to have volunteered?", the journalist asked gently. Wang Peng shook his head. "I'm just feeling sorry. I haven't done anything yet, but instead have become a burden for the people of the disaster area." The eyes of everyone in the place were tear-stained. "Does your grandmother know about this?", asked the journalist. "I don´t dare telling her. She is so old, and I´m afraid of saddening her."
Wang told with tears in his eyes that she had been very supportive of his volunteering.

(Special reporters Li Guohui and Wen Jianmin)