WITH the nation in shock following the deadly earthquake Monday that claimed more than 14,000 lives, information from the epicenter of Wenchuan remained scarce, as the county, located in a valley, had its communications entirely severed in the catastrophe.

    As rescuers finally made their way into the worst-hit region, the calamity there came to light.

    ‘Like an eagle’

    When rescuers found the body of Zhang Miya, a teacher at the Yingxiu township primary school, they were astonished at his gesture.

    The 29-year-old man knelt on debris, extending both arms to hug two students, like an eagle spreading its wings. On his back was some of the fallen wreckage of the building.

    Under his arms, the children were alive.

    The teacher was clutching his students so tightly, the rescuers had to saw his arms off to pull out the children.

    “Zhang saved his students at the price of his own life,” said Tan Guoqiang, the 48-year-old headmaster of the school.

    “His only relatives in Yingxiu were his wife Deng Xia, who was also a teacher in our school, and his 3-year-old son,” Mao said.

    Deng also died in the collapse of the school, and the son’s body has been found in a local kindergarten.

    “May they reunite in heaven and live happily ever after,” Mao said.”We waited on a hill for rescue”

    Pulling her out

    Xiang Xiaolian, a 13-year-old girl, murmured: “The boy pulled me out with his bare hands,” as she lay in bed in the No.1 Hospital affiliated to the West China Medical University.

    “The whole building swayed as we were in chemistry class; the teacher asked us to run from the third floor classroom,” recalled Xiang, who was buried under a cement slab and lost consciousness.

    Time passed and when Xiang re-awakened, she could see the light but fainted again. The next time she awakened, it was dark. “I knew it was night then,” she said

    Xiang heard the voice of Ma Jian, her classmate.

    “Xiao Lian, where are you?” the boy shouted. “You must hold on,” Ma encouraged her as he burrowed through the rubble with his hands.

    Xiang cried:” Don’t leave me, Ma Jian, at least, not until after I die.”

    “I will not, you are the youngest in our class,” Ma replied, digging.

    Each time Xiang passed over, Ma would call out to her to wake her up. After about four hours, Ma freed her. By then, his hands were badly hurt.(Xinhua)