By Wang Xu (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-20 06:44

CHENGDU - At 2:28 pm on Monday, when sirens and horns started to wail, people in Chengdu Western Suburbs Stadium - a temporary shelter for those left homeless in the quake - stood in silence.

The quiet was suddenly shattered by the loud sobs of a doctor, who blamed herself for failing her mother.

"Dear mom, I will try my best to live everyday to its full - for you," wailed He Xianqiong, from Yingxiu, Wenchuan county, whose mother died in the quake.

The 46-year-old was working at her clinic when the quake struck on May 12 and was busy attending to patients till next morning.

When she got home, she found her mother buried in the rubble, still conscious but unable to speak.

The 86-year-old died on the way to hospital after rescuers dug her out.

Since then, He has told herself to be brave in face of the loss, but has been dreaming every night of the last moment when she saw her mother.

During the three minutes' silence, He could no longer hold back her sorrow and burst into tears.

Shortly after that, psychotherapist Wei Zhizhong held her hand tightly and walked her to a tent to console her.

"Follow what I said," the psychotherapist said softly: "Mom, all the people have come to see you off today and wish you a happy life in the other world."

He tearfully repeated the words and half an hour later, looked at Wei with a wan smile: "Thank you."