Heroic bus driver gave his life to save 24 passengers - PHOTOS

A bus driver in China has been hailed as a hero for saving the lives of 24 passengers after being fatally injured by a piece of iron debris that smashed through the windshield.

Despite being in obvious pain, 48-year-old Wu Bin hit the brakes, shifted gears, turned the hazard lights on and was able to tell his passengers not to wander onto the highway on May 29.

Dramatic security camera footage broadcast on Sunday on state television showed the deadly chunk of iron hitting Wu in the arms and abdomen, and his calm handling of the situation, according to The Huffington Post.

The 5.5-pound, 12-inch flying metal object that claimed Wu’s life was believed to have fallen from a truck heading in the opposite direction, China Daily has reported.

Passengers at first did not realize anything was amiss, said Han Weichun, who was seated near the back of the bus.

 ‘We heard an almighty crash but thought it might be an accident involving other vehicles,' Han told China Daily. 'Our bus pulled over gently before Wu turned around toward us, looking pale and sweating. He opened the door, told us to be careful and then went silent.’

Passengers carried the mortally wounded Wu to a more comfortable seat and called police.
Wu was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on June 1, four days after the freak accident in the city of Wuxi in Jiangsu province, China.

Doctor Zheng Fang said he was astonished that Wu was able to ensure his passengers’ safety after the accident, considering his grave condition.

‘His liver was seriously damaged and three ribs were broken,’ he said. ‘In such circumstances, he would be in great pain. I'm amazed that he could do that.’ Wu's hometown of Hangzhou in eastern China has praised him as a hero and a role model.

Millions of people throughout China have called on authorities to investigate the accident and provide assistance to Wu’s family.  Wu's older sister, Wu Bing, said that while her brother was an ‘ordinary person,’ the actions he took on May 29 made her family proud of him.

Wu’s employer, the Hangzhou Long-distance Passenger Transportation Company, said the 48-year-old man had an impeccable record of driving over 620,000 miles without a single traffic accident or complaint from passengers since 2003.

Wang Lizhen, Wu's wife of 18 years, said his last words to her were a simple goodbye.
‘I know he did not want to leave me when he was injured in hospital,’ she told China Daily.
'When he was unconscious, I touched his forehead and held his hand and he would react slightly and he seemed to want to talk to me.’

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