An adult firefighter in east China's Zhejiang Province lost his mother when he was a three-year-old child and he had no memory of his mother at all, however he chanced to see mum's photo for the first time with the help of local police department.
Xu Bingyi, 33, is a firefighter in Haining City. He lost his beloved mother when he was only three, having spent his poignant childhood with endless mishap and grief.
Due to frequent family moves, his mother's possessions and photos were lost, leaving Xu with a hazy memory and no clear image of his mother.
"I hardly remember anything about my mother, it's as if my memory is a blank sheet of paper," he said.
"When I was a child, during those times when mothers came to pick up their children from school, I was always alone, feeling lonely. When my classmates talked about what their mothers were like, I could only walk away all alone," he said.
As time goes by, Xu's curiosity about his mother's image grows stronger.
"After graduation, I began to feel like every day was just work and then home. It seemed like something is missing. I always thought that even a few words, or just a picture, would help fill this gap in my life. If I could have that, I would feel quite satisfied," said Xu.
Recently, Xu saw a post of local public security bureau on social media, telling the story of a police officer who had managed to locate a photo of a citizen's father who had passed away 30 years ago.
This sparked the hope of Xu. He left a detailed comment under the post about his mother, hoping that the police could also find a photo to fulfill his dream.
Based on the information provided by Xu, local police station managed to find two ID photos of Xu's mother. "It was quite lucky that we were able to find them because in 1987, it was when the first batch of ID photos were taken, and his mother's photo happened to be taken in 1990. So, it fell right within the time frame of the beginning of the first generation of ID photos. If it had been any earlier, we might not have been able to locate his mother's ID photos," said Zhang Chen, a police officer.
On the day Xu received the call from the police officer, he was busy with training at the fire station. After his shift ended, he hurried to the government service center.
After checking the relevant information, Zhang turned the computer screen towards him. "It's hard to imagine that it actually happened. At that moment, everything seemed so perfect. I really saw her face. In the past, I don't know how tall or heavy my mother was, whether she had long or short hair, the size of her eyes, the shape of her nose," said Xu.
Later, Zhang took a photo of the screen with Xu's phone and handed it to Xu.
The firefighter, who wouldn't flinch even facing a sea of fire, burst into tears after seeing late mum's photo.
"Since childhood, it felt like I was a child without a mother, missing her presence in my growth. But the moment I laid eyes on that photo, suddenly everything else seemed insignificant. I was very excited at that time. I couldn't help thinking that I have found my mother, and I have my own mother now. I can look at the photo anytime and anywhere. It feels like I have got a precious treasure, and it's like I am showing off, being able to introduce my mother to others, something that I couldn't imagine before," said Xu.
This year marks the 11th year since Xu became a firefighter. He said that the fire department is like another home to him.
"Our fire brigade is like a big family. When we work together, it's like we are all brothers. Later, everyone in our team found out about this, and we were all very happy. We hope that he continues to move forward with the strength of his mother," said Zhu Qin, Xu's colleague.
"It's like all the shadows, negative emotions, and some of my past regrets and difficulties have vanished into thin air. It feels like everything has passed. I will not let my mother down. With this photo of my mother, I feel more confident and more fulfilled. Having my own family now means taking care of myself, taking care of my wife, and looking after my family. I'll live a happier, more fulfilling life," said Xu.
Young firefighter fortunate to "meet" late mum after 30 years' hiatus
Young firefighter fortunate to "meet" late mum after 30 years' hiatus
