President Xi Jinping on July 27 presented the August 1 Medal to three military servicemen ahead of the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Du Fuguo, 31, a demining soldier, is one of the three recipients of the highest honor in the Chinese military.
Du was discharged from hospital after three years of therapy and returned to his position before receiving the medal.

During the award ceremony, Du had a photo taken with Xi: a meeting of soldier and commander-in-chief.

On October 11, 2018, Du lost both his hands and eyes when trying to protect his fellow soldiers during a border-area land mine clearance operation in Yunnan Province.

Xi knows this demining hero. On May 16, 2019, when Xi met Du and other role models of people with disabilities in Beijing, he stopped in front of Du, whose eyes were covered with thick gauze and whose arms were amputated. Xi gently held his elbow with one hand and patted him on the shoulder with the other encouragingly. Du saluted Xi with his residual arm.

"I have fulfilled a demining soldier’s duties, but I didn't expect President Xi would still remember me," Du said.

On July 31, 2019, Du was honored with the title "heroic demining soldier." At the ceremony, Du, accompanied by his wife, walked on stage. Xi helped him wear the medal and carefully arranged his ribbon. "Take good care of yourself," Xi told Du. Xi mentioned Du in his 2020 New Year address, saluting the soldier's heroism.

"Du Fuguo sacrificed himself to protect his fellow soldiers," Xi said, and demonstrated "ordinary people leading extraordinary lives."

On June 29, 2021, Du was again met by Xi as the awardee of the title of outstanding Communist Party of China member.

(Compiled by Zhang Xinyue, edited by Sun Tianren, Source: CCTV News)