Home
» City specials
» Hangzhou
The Binjiang benefactor
January 31, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
WHEN a mother was murdered during a robbery, a police officer took pity on the three daughters she left behind. Pan Zheng meets the remarkable man making a financial difference to the girls' lives.
Every month for the past five years Binjiang District officer Wu Renxian sends money to Xiao Mei, a girl studying at a university in Hainan Province, and her two younger sisters.
The 45-year-old police officer has a daughter studying at university, and his wife does not work. Despite his small income he still keeps providing for the three sisters.
The money from Wu covers almost all of the living expenses for the girls. However, Xiao Mei hardly knows her munificent "Uncle" Wu. They have met only twice in person and speak by phone once a month. So why has Wu been so generous?
Xiao Mei came to his attention after her mother was killed when she refused to hand over money in a robbery in Binjiang District in 2006. Wu was one of the local police officers who participated in investigating the crime.
The unfortunate story of the victim touched Wu. Her husband, Xiao Mei's father, was killed in a car accident in 1994, and the mother had to raise their three daughters by herself. In 2005, she came from Hubei Province to Hangzhou looking for a job, but because of her poor education level, she could not find a suitable position. Eventually, to make ends meet she became a prostitute.
Police officers familiar with her story said that with "nothing but three children to raise, she had no other choice."
Xiao's mother lived in a small rented apartment in Hangzhou with only a bed, a television and a gas cooker, and the majority of money she made was spent on her three children who remained in her hometown in Hubei Province. From questioning the suspects who were caught pretty swiftly after the crime, the police learned Xiao's mother was trying to resist handing over only 130 yuan (US$20) and a cell phone when she was killed.
Usually, local police will provide some financial assistance for the unfortunate families of victims. "But we can only offer limited help, for there are too many of these families," a policeman said.
However, Wu decided to offer more help and pledged to support the victim's three daughters until they graduated from college. He explained his motivation was simply that "their study must be continued."
Wu's colleagues were particularly surprised by his decision, since he is a miser in their eyes. He never spends money if he doesn't have to and his biggest hobby is mountain climbing because "it's economical."
Nevertheless, with his own family to support, he decided to raise three more girls.
Since his own income couldn't stretch to pay for all of the three girls' living expenses, Wu started to encourage donations. His police colleagues were the first to contribute and more people followed after they heard the harrowing story of Xiao Mei's mother.
Wu has been raising money and sending an amount every month to pay for the sisters' upbringing for five years, but he admits that at first he didn't actually know a lot about the girls.
However, last year, one of Xiao Mei's younger sisters suffered a heart attack and was sent to hospital. This really bothered Wu a lot so he collected more money for treatment and transferred her to a Hangzhou hospital.
Since that incident, Xiao Mei has started to make more frequent phone calls to Wu. Each time they talk longer than before and she has begun to confide in him.
"We have become closer," Wu said.
In his mind, Xiao Mei is a quiet girl with a strong heart. After her mother died, she became the head of the family and always taught her two little sisters life principles, many of which have been learned from Wu.
Although Xiao Mei still calls Wu "uncle," both of them know that Wu is already much more than an uncle to the sisters.
"I believe we'll always be family," Xiao Mei once told Wu in a phone call.
Every month for the past five years Binjiang District officer Wu Renxian sends money to Xiao Mei, a girl studying at a university in Hainan Province, and her two younger sisters.
The 45-year-old police officer has a daughter studying at university, and his wife does not work. Despite his small income he still keeps providing for the three sisters.
The money from Wu covers almost all of the living expenses for the girls. However, Xiao Mei hardly knows her munificent "Uncle" Wu. They have met only twice in person and speak by phone once a month. So why has Wu been so generous?
Xiao Mei came to his attention after her mother was killed when she refused to hand over money in a robbery in Binjiang District in 2006. Wu was one of the local police officers who participated in investigating the crime.
The unfortunate story of the victim touched Wu. Her husband, Xiao Mei's father, was killed in a car accident in 1994, and the mother had to raise their three daughters by herself. In 2005, she came from Hubei Province to Hangzhou looking for a job, but because of her poor education level, she could not find a suitable position. Eventually, to make ends meet she became a prostitute.
Police officers familiar with her story said that with "nothing but three children to raise, she had no other choice."
Xiao's mother lived in a small rented apartment in Hangzhou with only a bed, a television and a gas cooker, and the majority of money she made was spent on her three children who remained in her hometown in Hubei Province. From questioning the suspects who were caught pretty swiftly after the crime, the police learned Xiao's mother was trying to resist handing over only 130 yuan (US$20) and a cell phone when she was killed.
Usually, local police will provide some financial assistance for the unfortunate families of victims. "But we can only offer limited help, for there are too many of these families," a policeman said.
However, Wu decided to offer more help and pledged to support the victim's three daughters until they graduated from college. He explained his motivation was simply that "their study must be continued."
Wu's colleagues were particularly surprised by his decision, since he is a miser in their eyes. He never spends money if he doesn't have to and his biggest hobby is mountain climbing because "it's economical."
Nevertheless, with his own family to support, he decided to raise three more girls.
Since his own income couldn't stretch to pay for all of the three girls' living expenses, Wu started to encourage donations. His police colleagues were the first to contribute and more people followed after they heard the harrowing story of Xiao Mei's mother.
Wu has been raising money and sending an amount every month to pay for the sisters' upbringing for five years, but he admits that at first he didn't actually know a lot about the girls.
However, last year, one of Xiao Mei's younger sisters suffered a heart attack and was sent to hospital. This really bothered Wu a lot so he collected more money for treatment and transferred her to a Hangzhou hospital.
Since that incident, Xiao Mei has started to make more frequent phone calls to Wu. Each time they talk longer than before and she has begun to confide in him.
"We have become closer," Wu said.
In his mind, Xiao Mei is a quiet girl with a strong heart. After her mother died, she became the head of the family and always taught her two little sisters life principles, many of which have been learned from Wu.
Although Xiao Mei still calls Wu "uncle," both of them know that Wu is already much more than an uncle to the sisters.
"I believe we'll always be family," Xiao Mei once told Wu in a phone call.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
