Wang Ruifeng was buried under a school building in Beichuan after the quake struck on Monday, staring at death and destruction around her - but she was confident that her father would come and get her.
It took 20 hours, but Wang Yong did come and get her after a herculean effort.
Yesterday, lying in the intensive care unit of Mianyang's No 404 Hospital after surgery on her right leg, the 10-year-old girl said she realized she was among the luckiest in her school.
It is estimated that more than 700 teachers and students are buried under the two school buildings; and only about 360 were rescued.
Wang said she was sitting with 46 classmates on the second floor of a three-story building when the quake struck - and only three survived. The remaining died immediately or within hours, she said.
"There was a ray of light coming into the collapsed building so I could see the boy next to me was badly hurt.
"He began to vomit heavily. I saw so much blood coming out of his mouth before he died on Tuesday morning."
All through this, a strong belief that her father would save her kept her alive.
"A part of the classroom ceiling fell on me and it was hard to breathe.
"But I kept telling myself: 'Papa will come to save me'."
Wang Yong, who was in the open when the quake struck, rushed to the school immediately - and ran into the debris of the collapsed building.
"I was really frustrated seeing so many bodies of other students," the 36-year-old said.
"I was thinking: 'I don't want to live anymore if my girl dies'."
Digging away the whole night, he kept shouting out his daughter's name. And at 4 am on Tuesday, he heard a response.
"I was so excited when I heard her say 'Papa, I'm here', although it was really weak.
"Following the voice, I finally found her lying there with a chunk of the ceiling on her stomach and some broken wooden chairs on her legs."
He said he removed the weight from her stomach so she could breathe easier, but the wooden desks posed a big problem.
"I found a craftsman and he help me saw the wood and remove the desks.
"That was at 9:15 am on Tuesday."
Wang Yong then carried his daughter over a mountain to reach the main road leading to Mianyang and finally met volunteers.
"They took us to hospital I am so happy and really appreciate all those who helped me."
Source: China Daily
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