Yu shares with the media that he never imagined that his act of kindness would forge such a meaningful relationship
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenZoey ZhangPublished: 9:00am, 1 Aug 2026Sixteen years after being rescued from a river as a toddler, a young girl from eastern China earned a spot at the prestigious Peking University and shared this significant milestone with the man who saved her life.
Yu Xianguo, 66, from Taizhou in Zhejiang province, is a retired naval serviceman who served five years in the military, according to mainland media outlet Xinhuanghe.
In August 2010, two-year-old Zheng Yan was travelling with her grandparents on a three-wheeled vehicle as they prepared to board a ferry. As they approached the vessel, the vehicle suddenly collided with a pillar.
Zheng’s grandfather sustained a leg injury, while her grandmother struck her head and lost consciousness. The force of the collision propelled the toddler into the river.
At that moment, Yu was on his way to work. Upon hearing that a child had fallen into the water, he immediately rushed to the scene, jumped from the dock into the river, and held the girl above the surface until bystanders were able to pull her to safety.
