Yao Ming leads more than 150,000 in moment of silence

(BEIJING, May 25) -- Basketball star Yao Ming led more than 150,000 people in a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the earthquake in Sichuan before a NASCAR race in Concord, North Carolina, on American Memorial Day, the Associated Press reports.

As one of China’s most famous athletes, the seven-time NBA All-Star has been leading by example in his support of the disaster relief. He’s personally donated 290,000 U.S. dollars and has filmed public service announcements through the Red Cross asking Americans to support Sichuan.

“We have a long way to go to create a new place for the people who don’t have a place to stay right now,” he told the Associated Press. “The best thing you can do for the government is to send money there and people there to help them.

“But we also need to warm them. They’re hurt mentally by the earthquake. I heard some kids cannot sleep in the middle of the night because they’re scared. Any kind of help