The 'Angel of Nanjing' Who Patrolled 10 Times Daily for 20 Years... Saved 469 Lives

Mr. Chen Si patrolling Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing, China
Strives to provide psychological and financial support even after rescue

A Chinese man who has patrolled a bridge every day for over 20 years and prevented 469 people from jumping to their deaths is making headlines.

On the 2nd (local time), Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported the story of Mr. Chen Si (56), who patrols the Yangtze River Bridge, the largest bridge in Nanjing, China, every day.

Cheonssu (56), patrolling on the bridge.
[Photo by South China Morning Post]

For more than 20 years, Mr. Chen has patrolled the bridge about 10 times a day, talking to people who hesitate or wander aimlessly on the bridge and preventing them from jumping. So far, he has rescued a total of 469 people.

Mr. Chen started this work after meeting a girl in despair on the bridge in 2000. He sensed that she was about to jump and approached her to start a conversation.

The girl had come to the big city to find a job but failed in her search and, having no money even for a ticket back home, decided to jump and came to the Yangtze River Bridge. After hearing her story, Mr. Chen bought her a ticket home and some food, and she was able to return safely to her hometown.

Since that day, he has believed that "people in difficult situations on the bridge can be saved," and he patrols the Yangtze River Bridge every day wearing a red volunteer uniform with the words "Cherish Life" written on it.

Mr. Chen explained, "From long experience, I can tell if someone intends to jump just by their posture," adding, "People going through extreme internal conflict have awkward and heavy body movements."

He continued, "I want to tell those people that as long as they are breathing, there is hope to start life anew," and said, "I realized that just pulling someone off the bridge is not enough to save them completely."

He has worked to provide practical support such as psychological and financial aid to those who have gained a new life. Using his own savings, he arranged rooms for them to stay comfortably for periods ranging from 3 to 5 days up to 1 to 2 years.

Regarding the person he remembers most from his rescue activities, he said, "She was a girl who had been admitted to university but could not afford the tuition," and he persuaded her not to jump, then helped raise 10,000 yuan (about 1.9 million won) with friends to cover her registration fees.

As Mr. Chen’s good deeds became known, major Chinese broadcasters produced a documentary titled "Angel of Nanjing."

Netizens left supportive comments such as "He really is an angel," "I saw him on the news 20 years ago, and it’s amazing he is still saving lives," and "Mr. Chen gives hope and a chance at life to those in despair; he truly is an angel."