Wenchuan quake survivor follows his hero's footsteps
"Huang and I both come from Deyang, Sichuan province. The airborne troops are just like my family," Cheng said. "So I made up my mind to become one of them who could bring people strength and hope," he said.
In 2013, Cheng signed up for military service in airborne division. He and other fellow soldiers were told anyone who got excellent performances in the training would be able to become a member of Huang Jiguang heroic squad.
"I wanted to know more about Huang Jiguang, I wanted to know if I could be a hero like him," Cheng said. During his life in the army, he learnt that at least 38 soldiers blocked the enemy fire in the battles following Huang's heroic deed.
"There was not just Huang Jiguang, there were so many heroes like Huang who preferred honor to life," Cheng said. So he trained himself hard as he believed it's a way to show respect to the martyrs and it is also a return to the rescuers who helped him in the quake.
The intense training brought Cheng pride and honor, but also sometimes the pressure. Cheng still remember his first parachute training experience when he was chosen to be the first one to perform parachute jump shortly after he was recruited in the army.
"It was like in a dream. I just couldn't stop my whole body shivering" Cheng said. "At that very moment, I told myself only if I conquer the fear can I get the chance to become a soldier of Huang Jiguang heroic squad," he said.
Another time, Cheng and six other fellow soldiers were in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for a competition which included extreme challenges. He had trouble in breathing and felt a burning pain in his chest after long distance hiking. When he was 600 meters from the finish line, Cheng felt he would fell down at any time. He kept reading Huang's name to encourage himself and finally won the championship.
Oct 19, 2017, marked the 65th anniversary of the death of Huang Jiguang. On that day, Cheng was officially named as the 38th squad leader of Huang Jiguang heroic squad.
