15 years on, Wenchuan survivors helping others in need

In addition to the volunteers, the PLA soldiers and firefighters who worked tirelessly amid the danger to rescue people, have also left lasting memories, He said.

"Many children who experienced the earthquake grew up determined to join the PLA or become firefighters. My son is one of them," she said proudly.

Zhang Zili, from the neighboring county of Maoxian, is another.

He was attending a sports class at the primary school in his village when the quake struck. He was six at the time. "My village is only 30 kilometers from the epicenter of the Wenchuan earthquake, so it caused a lot of damage," the 21-year-old said.

Zhang's home was unsafe to live in, so his family stayed in a temporary shelter. "There was no electricity because of the quake, so we had to sit in the dark at night. I was scared. The PLA soldiers who came to help us comforted me by teaching me songs and playing with me," he said.

He also recalled how emergency supplies were airdropped from helicopters, and how soldiers and firefighters built tents and gave food to survivors.

"These memories made me want to become a PLA soldier or a firefighter, so that I could also save lives and help people," said Zhang who is now a firefighter with the Wenchuan Brigade of the Forest Fire Fighting Detachment of Sichuan's Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture.

After a magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit Luding county in Sichuan's Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture on Sept 5 last year, the brigade was immediately summoned to take part in the search and rescue mission. It was Zhang's first earthquake-related mission.

"As we approached the epicenter, I saw that houses had been destroyed and people were homeless. The sight triggered memories of the Wenchuan earthquake. I know how scary and tough it can be, so I was determined to do my best to help," he said.