China Overseas Chinese Network, September 12, according to the US "World Journal" report, "It has been 20 years, and I never missed him a day." 77-year-old Cen Jiaoxian said with a sob.
She missed her youngest son Zeng Zhe, the victim of the September 11 incident; the last words Zeng Zhe said to her mother that day was: "I'm fine, I'm going to save someone."
Cen Jiaoxian was originally a teacher in Guangzhou. In 1988, her family immigrated to New York. Because of language barriers, she worked in a clothing factory to subsidize the family. She said that her husband died of a sudden heart attack in 1995. Fortunately, there were two others. Obedient and capable son, especially the younger son Zeng Zhe.
After obtaining an MBA from the University of Rochester, Zeng Zhe joined the Bank of New York in 1988, which is only two streets away from the World Trade Center.
Cen Jiaoxian recalled that on the day of September 11, the last sentence her son called to herself was: "I'm fine, I'm going to save people." There was no more news after that.
Since Zeng Zhe is not an employee of the World Trade Center, the authorities can only deal with missing persons. Later, Zeng Zhe’s classmates called from Seattle to tell Cen Jiaoxian that they saw Zeng Zhe wearing a white shirt and gold-rimmed glasses on TV. Help an Asian woman.
Cen Jiaoxian was sad, "but I'm very pleased"
Zeng Zhe was engulfed by a collapsed building while rescuing the wounded and died; half a year after the incident, part of his body was found after DNA testing, and the official confirmed his heroic deeds.
"He just did what he was supposed to do. He learned first aid to save people. When he needed to save people, he was obliged to do so." Cen Jiaoxian said, "My son could have been immortal, but he chose to save people. , Although sad, but I am very pleased."
Cen Jiaoxian feels that her son has shown the courage of Chinese immigrants to the United States. The Chinese are not “sweeping the door”; but unfortunately, 20 years later, the United States has not forgotten the original pain, nor does it seem to remember the image. Asian Americans like Zeng Zhe made sacrifices for this country at the most critical time.
Seeing the noble "shining" of the Chinese immigrants' courage and self-sacrifice
Compared with 20 years ago, Cen Jiaoxian has gray hair. In these thousands of days and nights, she has been asked countless times because of the label of "Mother of Heroes of the Dead". Is it noble quality?"
She always replied, "I have never doubted that even in the face of the new crown epidemic and anti-Asian hate crimes, I have always firmly believed that my son will always shine in one place and become an indestructible person on the great wheel of history. Screws." (Zhang Chen)