国内英语新闻:HK people pay last tribute to earthquake hero

HONG KONG, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong people, including hundreds of volunteers, streamed into a downtown funeral house on Thursday to pay their last respects to the city's fallen hero, Wong Fuk-wing, a former volunteer who lost his life saving others in the April 14 earthquake in northwest China's Qinghai province.

"I will remember him for all the rest of my life," said nine- year-old Bai Ji, who was among one of those saved by Wong.

A three-hour public memorial service began at 4 p.m. local time at a memorial hall of the Universal Funeral Parlor in Kowloon. Among thousands of mourners, four children from the orphanage where Wong worked as a volunteer, came here to pay farewell to Wong, also known as Ah Fuk.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Chief Executive Donald Tsang (front) bows at the funeral of Wong Fuk-wing in Hong Kong, south China, May 6, 2010. Hong Kong people, including hundreds of volunteers, streamed into a downtown funeral home on Thursday to pay their last respect to the city's fallen hero, Wong Fuk-wing, a former volunteer who lost his life saving others in the earthquake in northwest China's Qinghai Province

Wong, a 46-year-old truck driver who had survived the 7.1- magnitude quake in Yushu last month, died in a powerful aftershock as he returned to rescue the trapped people at the orphanage. He rescued four people before being hit -- three orphans and a teacher.

A Zhou, a fellow social worker with Wong from the orphanage, burst into tears when he stepped into the memorial hall.

All that Wong cared about in his last minutes was the safety of orphans, said A Zhou.

"We will bend over backward to take care of the orphans, which is also Ah Fuk's wish," the young man told Xinhua.