Quotes...

Seen and heard from Sichuan

“我是温家宝爷爷，孩子们一定要挺住，一定会得救！”

" I am Grandpa Wen, kids you must hang in there, you will be saved."

- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in tears, encouraging two trapped primary school students in the rain

“娃……娃娃……妈妈……来不及……啊……”
" Baby, baby, Mama didn't make it in time."

- Kindergarten teacher She Xiaoyan carried two children out, one in each arm, but her own child perished in the quake.

“我唱歌就不会觉得痛。”
"If I sing, I won't feel pain."

- Kindergartener Ren Sili trapped under the rubble, starts singing a nursery rhyme while waiting to be rescued.

“我相信我爸爸会那样做，他就是那样的人，即使对不起家里，他也不会对不起学生。”
" I believe my father would do that, he is that sort of a person. Even if he let his family down, he would never let his students down."

- Teacher Tan Qianqiu's daughter remembers her father who sacrificed his life by throwing himself on the table over four students, saving their lives

“摘下我的翅膀，送给你飞翔。”
"Take down my wings for you so you may soar."

- Lyrics of a song penned previously by teacher Zhang Miya who gave his life, holding two students close to his side, protecting one in each arm.

“不要睡着了。”
"Don't fall asleep."

- 16 trapped secondary school students whispered to one another. Rescuers had told them not talk so as to preserve their energy. They obeyed and immediately began instead to read their textbooks.

“下面一片漆黑，我怕。我又冷又饿，只能靠看书缓解心中的害怕！”
"It was pitch dark down there, I was scared. I was cold and hungry and only reading alleviate my fear in my heart!"

- She comes from a poor family and was often seen reading with a torchlight on her way home. And that was exactly how rescuers found Deng Qing Qing 邓清清.

"你们别管我了，这里危险，放弃我吧，你们去救别人！"
" Don't bother about me, it is dangerous. Give up on me, go save someone else!"

- An old lady Yang Yunfen 杨云芬 had been trapped for hours and was in terrible pain. A female doctor looked on as Yang held a sharp piece of glass and slit her wrist. The astonished doctor tried to apply pressure to stop the bleeding but it was too late. She watched on as Yang pulled off the gold wedding band from her finger, swallowed it and died before her eyes.