Yang Zhengqing, 52-year-old village cadre in Guizhou Province, died in an accident while en route to provide relief and support to villagers in an impoverished area.

Widespread reaction and sympathy flooded Chinese social media as thousands posted tributes to the memory of Yang’s life and work while offering their condolences to his family and friends.

Yang Zhengqing, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Party Branch of Xiaohe Village in Guizhou Province, was a native of the village.

Yang’s wife discovered her husband’s body next to his motorcycle on December 25, 2017.

“He called to ask if a water pipe had been installed,” said one of the villagers. It would be the last phone call Yang would ever make. “He said that and he and some other cadres had discovered a water source and they were talking about ways to divert it,’ the villager said.

During Yang’s meeting on how best to divert the water source, his wife called and asked him to come home. Yang said that he still had two homes he needed to visit, and asked her not to wait up.

It was reported that government officials had recognized Yang’s passing as a death in the line of duty. During his 13 years of service as the village cadre, he helped villagers build bridges, repair canals, plant fruit trees, and establish a village council to resolve issues among the locals.

(Compiled by Hu Xiaoyu)