Cover image via Douyin
What should have been one of the most important mornings of Jiang Zhaopeng's life took a sharp turn when his friend suffered a heart attack
The 18-year-old dental prosthetics student from eastern China was en route to sit for the Spring Gaokao, the national vocational entrance exam that determines much of a student's future.
But before the car even reached the exam hall, everything changed.
According to South China Morning Post, his classmate collapsed. A heart attack, right there in the back seat. Jiang acted without hesitation.
Image via Douyin
Jiang performed CPR while shouting instructions to the driver, Wang Tao, to head for the nearest hospital
Wang, in turn, alerted the police and ran six red lights, arriving at the hospital in seven minutes.
The classmate's heart had stopped for nearly 30 minutes. Doctors managed to revive him, but Jiang missed the first section of his exam.
"My exam can wait, but my classmate only lives once," he later told local media.
Image via Douyin
Jiang's training in first aid came from his vocational college, but what's harder to teach is that level of clarity and courage under pressure
"This experience has only strengthened my resolve to pursue medicine," he said.
There's been an outpouring of support online with calls for leniency.
The local government recognised Jiang and the driver with a Courageous Act Award and 10,000 yuan.
Still, under current rules, Jiang can't retake the exam. His teachers are pushing for an exception.
Image via Douyin
