Li Jiating, completely soaked after the rescue. [Photo/Official WeChat account of People's Daily]
Li Jiating, a 13-year-old girl from Wuzhong, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, has won praise online for her courageous act of bravery when she risked her life to save a child who had fallen into an icy lake.
The incident occurred at 3:00 pm on Saturday, as Li was cycling past the lake. A 4-year-old boy had accidentally fallen into the freezing water while playing on thin ice.
Several people at the scene immediately called the police, but hesitated to carry out a rescue themselves, fearing that the ice would collapse further under their weight.
At this critical moment, Li bravely stepped forward without hesitation. "I'm lightweight. Let me save him!" she said.
Using a plastic pipe, Li carefully approached the hole in the ice and extended one end to the toddler, urging him to cling to the pipe while she tried to pull him to safety.
Li Jiating. [File photo/Official WeChat account of People's Daily]
During the rescue, the ice suddenly gave way, and Li fell into the freezing water herself. Despite the intense cold, she held onto the pipe firmly. And with the help of firefighters, the boy was successfully rescued.
After confirming that the boy was safe, Li quickly left the scene and rode home. When her family noticed her soaked clothes, she casually explained, "I had gotten soaked by a sprinkler truck on my way home."
It wasn't until later that evening, when Li's aunt saw a video of the rescue online, that her family learned the truth.
Later, the parents of the rescued boy visited Li's home to express their gratitude in person for her heroic actions.
Despite the widespread praise, Li remained humble. "I didn't think too much and just wanted to get him out of danger as quickly as possible," she said.
Local authorities visited Li on Monday to commend her courage, awarding her 10,000 yuan ($1,414) and granting her lifetime free medical check-ups at local hospital. Earlier, her school had honored her as an outstanding student for her brave deeds.
