Source: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital
Written by: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital
Translated by: Bai Yang, Yang Qing
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

At 2:30 p.m. on October 29, an old lady waiting in line fainted suddenly and fell facedown to the road shoulder at the bus stop opposite the Yi’an Square on Jiansheliu Road, Guangzhou. People around were at a loss as what to do. A young man wearing glasses rushed forward, asking the crowd to call an ambulance, and kneeling on the ground to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the old lady. After a short treatment, the old lady came to herself.

The young man turned out to be Guo Mingyan, a post-80’s young doctor from the Department of Anesthesia of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. At 2:30 p.m. on October 29, Guo Mingyan was going home after a night shift and a morning’s overtime. When he was waiting for the shuttle bus, he heard a scream. He turned around and saw an old lady faint and fall. The crowd stepped forward to help but no one knew what to do.

"Please step back and keep the air flowing." At the crucial moment, Guo Mingyan rushed forward, dispersed the crowd, and turned the old lady over. Her lips were dark, her teeth were injured and bleeding. No breath. Faint pulse. No response to any call. “Please call 120! Hurry!” said Guo Mingyan, pointing to a woman nearby with a mobile phone in her hand.

Meanwhile, Guo Mingyan began to do CPR for the old lady. He skillfully repeated the first-aid measures. Five minutes later, the old lady came to herself with lips red, pulse gradually strong and eyes slightly open. People on the spot cheered and gave a big applause to this unknown hero.

Then, the shuttle bus arrived. Guo Mingyan looked over the old lady, confirmed her stable condition and took the initiative to call her family. After communicating with her family members, he walked the old lady onto the bus and accompanied her to the terminus until she was with her family members. He told her family to send her to hospital for reexamination as soon as possible and then he left silently.

Two days later, the story of his deed spread. In our interview with him, Guo Mingyan said that saving the dying and healing the wounded happened around him everyday, “in fact, it was a natural response for a medical worker. On that occasion, I believe any teacher and colleague in our hospital will not hesitate to give a hand and I just happened to be there. I feel very happy that I could seize the critical life-saving three minutes and help the old lady come to herself before the ambulance arrived.”