'I have a mum now': Firefighter in China breaks down after seeing photo of mother who died when he was 3

Firefighter in China finds photo of deceased mother

A 33-year-old firefighter in Zhejiang, China recently touched many hearts with his reaction to finding a photo of his late mother through local authorities.

His mother passed away when he was just three, leaving him too young to remember what she looked like.

Seeking answers, the firefighter reached out to the authorities, who were able to find a photo of her for him.

When he saw the image of his mother for the first time, he was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears.

Source: Weibo

A video of the discovery was shared on Weibo, quickly going viral with over 4 million views and more than 1,000 comments.

Mother died when man was a toddler

In the video, the man speaks about growing up without any photos of his mother and not knowing what she looked like for the 30-odd years since her death.

“Sometimes, when I am alone, I think about how I don’t know what my own mother looks like,” he said. “And that bothers me.”

According to the official Weibo account of the city’s police, the man sought their help on 22 Nov.

Using the information he provided, the household registration department was able to locate a photo of his mother.

Source: Weibo

When the officer handed him the photo over the counter, the man stared at it in disbelief before breaking down in tears.

He said:

I am also a child who has a mother now.

The police then sent a digital version of the photo to the firefighter for his safekeeping.

Netizens moved by heartwarming story

As the video went viral, thousands of netizens expressed how deeply touched they were.

The story moved many to tears, resonating with the firefighter’s emotions.

Translation: [I] cried watching this.
Source: Weibo

Others offered words of comfort, assuring him that his mother must still be watching over him and that a mother’s love never fades.

Translation: Your mother is definitely watching over you, and she must love you. Even if she’s not with you, this love has never faded.
Source: Weibo

Another user reflected that his mother must have experienced similar emotions when she passed, trying her best to remember what her son looked like.

Translation: Mum must have also looked at you closely as she was passing, trying to commit your three-year-old self to memory. She likely imagined what you would become as an adult.
Source: Weibo

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