On February 4th, a man fell from a bridge into a river in Tien Dao City, Hubei Province, China. A woman standing on the shore was extremely worried and continuously shouting for help.
A viral video on social media shows that a man named Yilibai rode a white horse into the river to rescue the drowning man.
The horse swam over 40 meters while Yilibai held the reins with one hand and tried to pull the man with the other. Liu Hangzhou, a nearby resident who is passionate about winter swimming, assisted in pulling the victim to safety. The man was lucky to escape unharmed and was safely returned to his family.
Yilibai riding a horse to save a man from drowning (Image: Douyin).
Yilibai, 39 years old, from Xinjiang Province, started riding horses at age 6, according to Jimu News. Having loved horses since he was young, he opened a riding club in Tien Dao with friends.
At the time of the incident, Yilibai and his friend Su Shaogao were training horses near the riverbank.
Su was the first to hear the cries for help and stopped the woman from jumping into the river to save her father. Liu mentioned that the river water was very cold.
“The drowning person was more than 50 meters from the shore, and the water was very deep. Additionally, cargo ships were passing by the river at that moment,” Su recalled.
The white horse, named Bailong (“White Dragon”), was seven years old. Yilibai stated that the horse had never been in the water before but acted instinctively to save the man.
“Bailong is very intelligent. When I flicked the whip, it knew to enter the water. After seeing me pull the drowning man, it turned around and swam back toward the shore. The horse and I are like family. I trust him, and he trusts me,” Yilibai added.
After the incident, Bailong developed a high fever and required treatment for several days.
Yilibai began riding horses at age 6 (Image: Douyin).
On February 5th, the Tien Dao city government announced that they would award bravery medals to Yilibai, Su, and Liu. Each person is expected to receive a reward of 3,000 yuan (over $420 USD).
The heroic story of the horse-riding hero saving the drowning man has widely spread on Chinese social media platforms, attracting nearly 15 million views.
“He looks like a superhero in a movie, powerfully galloping on horseback,” one netizen commented about Yilibai.
“Yilibai resembles a Chinese knight from ancient times. All three are brave and kind-hearted,” another said.
Similar acts of heroism have frequently been shared and praised across China’s vast territory. Last September, in Suzhou, a woman and two chefs subdued a knife-wielding attacker with umbrellas and kitchen utensils, earning widespread admiration.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/an-sinh/nguoi-hung-cuoi-ngua-lao-xuong-dong-song-chay-xiet-cuu-nguoi-20250210150429714.htm
