Homage paid to dead teacher
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-04-06 14:53

A wave of sympathy streamed across China for a teacher who had protected several pupils from a speeding car and died on Tuesday morning in Jintan, east China's Jiangsu Province.

The local government has called on all people in the city to learn from the heroic teacher and will recognize her as a martyr, China Daily reported Wednesday.

Yin Xuemei pushed the youngsters out of the way but was hit and thrown about 25 meters by the car.

She had been taking them to a cinema when the tragedy happened on March 31.

The 52-year-old teacher was taken to Jintan People's Hospital 10 minutes after the accident but remained in a coma until her death on Tuesday morning.

Twelve doctors worked together to try to save her.

"She was very badly injured with a serious brain hemorrhage, bad fractures in the leg and chest and internal bleeding. We are so sorry we could not help her," said Li Guoming, director of the hospital's intensive care unit.

Yin was a second grade Chinese teacher at Chengnan Elementary School. She had taught there for nearly 30 years. When students at the school were told the sad news Tuesday, many burst into tears.

The pupils Yin protected and their parents were extremely sad when they heard the news of her death. The children were grateful to their teacher for saving their lives.

"She was an excellent teacher and we all feel very sad that shehas left us so suddenly," said Yuan Wenbin, one of Yin's colleagues.

Yuan said that many people from other cities had telephoned when they learned of Yin's heroic deeds. They expressed a wish to donate money.

On Tuesday morning the school received a call from a lady in Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning Province. She asked for the school's address so she could post 1,000 yuan (120 US dollars) to show her respects and condolence to Yin, hoping she could do something for her family.

The school set up a special mourning hall so students and thousands of local residents could pay their final tributes.

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