Feature: Ning Yu -- our son, the firefighter, the hero

Jiang Mingqiong and her husband, Ning Shaoyou, live in Deyang, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Their only child Ning Yu joined the army last year as a firefighter. He served in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

Ning Yu was one of the first firefighters to arrive at the site of the Tianjin warehouse blasts on Wednesday night. He was also one of the first to die in the line of duty, when a second explosion tore through the complex, killing Ning and four others and injuring 11 more.

The death toll from the last week's tragedy rose to 114 on Monday, 39 of whom are firefighters. It is believed that this is one of the biggest losses of firemen for decades.

Seventy people are still missing, 64 of these are firemen.

When collecting Ning's belongings, Ning's comrades found a notebook that he had used as an outlet to reflect on life, work and his role as a firefighter. The prose characterized his highly-motivated and diligent personality.

"On that day, we bid farewell. We may never meet again," Ning Yu wrote on Dec. 15, 2014, the day he finished his training.

Reading his words just nine months later, his parents were taken aback by the prophetic nature of their son's musings.

Ning's father learned about the Tianjin blasts on the morning of Aug. 13. His first thoughts were that his son might be involved in the rescue mission. But he was not worried about his son, even after telephone calls went unanswered.

"That was normal," he recalled. "They are not allowed to take their cell phones with them."

However, around 5:30 p.m. there was a phone call from Tianjin.

Ning's mother took the call. She was told that her son might have been injured in the blasts, and that she and her husband should go to Tianjin.

They rushed to be with their injured son, arriving in Tianjin early on the morning of Aug. 14.

It was not until the next day that DNA tests confirmed that Ning Yu was one of the fallen.

REMEMBERING NING YU

"On that quiet morning, I was woken by a ray of sunshine. When I opened the window, the cool and familiar air blew in and I could hear the crisp sound of bird song. What a beautiful day! I will never forget it; the day I left my hometown for Tianjin to become a firefighter," Ning Yu wrote in his notebook.

Ning Yu loved playing basketball even though he was only 165 cm tall.

"We used to play basketball together. We would sometimes joke that he should not to play because he was too short. But he would always insist and play every game," said Cui Xiaowei, monitor of Ning's squadron.@ Ning Yu also loved singing. He had worked as a performer before he joined the army and was crazy about Jay Chou, a Taiwanese pop singer, and Michael Jackson.

He also wrote pop and military songs in his notebook.

Tang Liwang, head of Ning's squadron, said he had been impressed by Ning's diligence and aspirations. Before Tang had decided what position was appropriate for Ning, he volunteered to serve in the battling squad, the front line team.

"Training in the battling squad is no easy task," Tang explained. "I asked him whether he was prepared and he said 'no problem, I will make it.'"

Ning Shaoyou said his son had been inspired to join the army by friends that had done the same.

He had supported his son's decision, thinking the military would make his son stronger and courageous.

Plus, his son had assured him that he would return home after two years' service.

"We had dreams for him. We hoped he would get married and be a father himself. But now..." Ning's father said, regretting his decision.

Ning Yu, however, may not agree with his father.

On another page of his notebook, the 19-year old wrote: "Everyone is selfish, for himself, or for his family. I am such a person. Now I even laugh at my stupid idea to become a fireman in the military. At present, I can say I will fight and work hard with a clear conscience. And, I will become a good firefighter. As a soldier, I must fight for our nation and for the people, even risking my life."

In Ning Yu's dorm, clenching the hand of one of her son's former comrades, she choked back her tears as the men gave her a basketball that Ning Yu had once played with.

"He was only 19. There was so much he did not see and do," Ning Shaoyou sighed. "We were only parents for 19 years. Now, we are left adrift on a sea of sorrow, soaked in memory." Endi