Hero teacher who saved kids gets second surgery

Doctors call operation successful but say condition 'still complicated'

Teacher Zhang Lili, who risked her life to save two students from an oncoming bus, remained in "complicated" condition after undergoing surgery again on Monday, a doctor said.

State Councilor Liu Yandong (center) pays a visit to Zhang Lili, a teacher seriously injured by a bus after pushing students out of danger, at the intensive care unit of the First Affiliated University of Harbin Medical University on Sunday. Guo Junfeng / for China Daily

Zhang, who has been dubbed "the most beautiful teacher" by netizens, underwent surgery to remove dead tissue at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.

This was her second operation since being hit by a runaway bus as she pushed two children out of the way on May 8 in Jiamusi, in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

The Chinese-language teacher at Jiamusi's No 19 Middle School saved the students' lives, but she was so seriously injured that both of her legs were amputated.

The driver of the bus, considered by the Jiamusi traffic police to be fully responsible for the accident, was arrested on Monday, Xinhua New Agency reported.

On May 13, she was moved from Jiamusi Central Hospital to the hospital in the capital of Heilongjiang.

"The operation went smoothly but her condition is still complicated. The main problem from now on is the orthopaedics," said Zhao Mingyan, director of the hospital's intensive care unit.

The more than three-hour operation was led by Lu Shibi, an orthopedic surgeon at the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army in Beijing and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Lu was part of a team of experts that arrived at the Harbin hospital on Monday morning to help with the surgery, according to the Ministry of Health.

Wang Yu, director of the ministry's medical administration, said the ministry would keep a close eye on Zhang's condition and help arrange for the best doctors in the country to take care of her.

Zhao said the surgery, decided on at a group consultation on Sunday, was to remove damaged muscle.

On that day, State Councilor Liu Yandong visited Zhang, Xinhua reported.

"We should call on all the teachers in the nation to take Zhang as an example of noble ethics," Liu said.

Liu also talked with the medical team and called for all-out efforts in Zhang's treatment and future rehabilitation.

A reception room at the hospital is receiving well-wishers from around China and the world.

More visitors arrived after hearing the news that a second operation would take place.

He Yixuan, a 19-year-old college student from the Harbin Institute of Technology, came to the hospital with five of his classmates.

"Zhang is a very good role model for us, even for all the college students in China," He said.

They brought flowers for her and told China Daily that they would organize donations in their faculty.

"We'll stay here until doctors finish the surgery, and we're hoping for good news," He said.

As of Monday afternoon, Zhang had received 5.73 million yuan ($906,500) in donations, according to the Jiamusi civil affairs bureau.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn and shanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn