American woman saves a drowning Chinese woman in West Lake


13th Oct 16:40, , a woman fell into the waters of West Lake of Hangzhou. The drowning person was about 20 meters off shore, only her floating hair could be seen. A foreign visitor quickly removed her jacket, jumped into the water, swam to her and quickly pulled her to shore. As the drowning woman was rescued in time, so she just choked water and no life-threatening. After 10 minutes, police arrived. While the foreign tourist left quietly, working staff on site said the rescuer was an American.

She was so professional and agile. It took her less than two minutes to swim back to the bank, he said. Liu and another foreigner, a friend of the rescuer, pulled them from the water. The rescued woman was coughing a lot, but otherwise seemed in good condition, said witnesses.

The rescuer was pulling the drowning person to shore

Knowing the drowning woman was all right, the foreign rescuer put on clothes and left the scene.

The rescued woman surnamed Xia said these days her life was not smooth and she had suffered emotional setback, so made a stupid mistake and jumped into the water, thanks to this brave foreign tourist and her life was saved.

First let us pay tribute to the courageous American women tourist, brave act is borderless, I believe that everyone who sees this scene will be moved. Perhaps in the United Statesthis scene is often common. In China, although there are many courageous acts of rescuing drowned persons, and some even pay a life, but some chilling scenes are also exposed online like no body help the falling elderly, and a soldier who supports the elderly is sued by its family, Will these kinds of things be staged in the United States ? Since everyone is eager for the harmony of giving help to others, why some rescued people bite the rescuers? No doubt in addition to thanking this American tourist, we should rethink what is wrong with our society.


  • shenmeniao

    Reasons: soft legal system, extortion, guanxi

    Is it really a matter of courage or potential consequences associated with helping others? Who doesn’t know the story of the old woman falling down in the street, young man comes to her rescue, takes her to the hospital only to find that the woman advised the doctors that it is the young man who caused her to fall.

    Meddling in others’ business is a dangerous game in China because there is an imbalance of justice.

  • China Whisper

    this society has too many sorrow, the government only pays a lot of attention on economy but neglect other sides.

  • Chris K

    After watching the video of the little girl being struck by the truck and ignored by so many people I am shocked how anybody, regardless of what country you live in, could walk or ride by the scene of a little girl fatally injured lying in the street. It is incomprehensible to me to see such callous disregard for another human being. I am angry.

    So that Yueyue’s death is not completely in vain I sincerely hope and pray that her death opens the eyes of the Chinese people and the central government to address this problem. What purpose is served when a society advances in the world to become a leading economy, but leaves it’s collective soul in the rubbish?

    I would like to see the news of the foreigner saving the Chinese girl become just as popular in China as the video of Yueyue’s terrible, preventable death.

    In the US I have come upon the scene of a car accident and helped the driver from the car until police arrived (it was upside down). I would do the same in China. It’s time more Chinese help each other, regardless of the consequences. If enough people are are affected, the laws can be changed. A few stories of muddle-headed judges reinforces the desire of the Chinese people to not get involved. It’s a nice excuse, but inexcusable.

    CW – Thank you for your stories on both topics.

    Signed,
    Proud to be an American (in China)

  • Santiago

    She was not American from U.S., she is from Uruguay, South America.

  • Luis

    I have just heard on the radio here in Uruguay that the rescuer is an architect born in this country that has recently moved to China because her husband, also architect, was hired to work there. Her name would be María Fernanda. Can you confirm this? Thanks!

  • Herico33

    This woman was American yes, but NOT an North American one, was an South American turist, Uruguayan (a little country between Brasil and Argentina)
    Its a shame that people in China doesnt help people at all, SHAME ON YOU ALL :/

  • guana

    The tourist was from south america from a country call Uruguay, it’s true that she is an american but not from the USA

  • China Whisper

    I have no idea of the woman`s information in China media. Does anyone know her name, at least we should know the hero`s name.

  • george

    The foreign woman who saved this person is not American. She is from Uruguay (a South American country) and lives in Shanghai with her husband, who is an Uruguayan architect working there. She was visiting the beautiful city of Hanghzou for a few days. Her name is Maria Fernanda Gomez. You can read an interview that a newspaper from that country made to her (unfortunately only available in Spanish).

  • http://www.elpais.com.uy/11/10/23/pciuda_601612.asp Carlos

    Her name is Maria Fernanda Gomez Arregui. She is from Uruguay. Pls check out press coverage here in Uruguay.

  • Leandro

    Her name is Maria Fernanda, and many other stated she is Uruguayan (South America) not from the US.

    Below is a link to an article of an Uruguayan newspaper (spanish):

    http://www.elpais.com.uy/111023/pciuda-601612/ciudades/uruguaya-salvo-a-una-china-que-se-ahogaba-mientras-todos-miraban/

    Cheers,
    Leandro

  • Mendes

    You Americans think that AMERICA resume just in U.S.

    Yes, the woman IS American, however, South American.

    I’m also American, I’m from Brazil, I can consider myself South or Latin American.