Heartwarming stories surfaced after magnitude-7.0 earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou

The tourist bus was hit by boulders. [Photo/Xinhua]

Parents sacrifice their life to protect their child

When a tourist bus headed for a hotel after leaving the Jiuzhaigou scenic spot on Tuesday night, the 31 travelers onboard did not realize a disaster was waiting for them.

When the vehicle went on a section of the road lined by trees in the mountainous area, a boulder suddenly tumbled down the hill, hitting the rear end of the bus, reported Chengdu-based Huaxi Metropolis Daily.

Lyu Xinyi, a six-grader from Wuhan in Hubei province, was on the last row of seat on the bus along with her parents. When the boulder hit the vehicle, the girl's parents used their bodies to protect her who was sitting between them.

The mother died instantly, and the father used his last strength to break the window and push his daughter out of the bus. He later succumbed to his injuries, but his daughter was saved.