Truck-Pulling Brother Prepares to Depart on Baofeng First Road
Equipping Himself with Just a Handcart — Reporters and Family Try to Persuade Him
Truck-Pulling Brother Intends to Hike 10,000 Miles for Donations, but Is Convinced Not to Go
“Look, Truck-Pulling Brother is planning to hike 10,000 miles to raise tuition donations for others!” Yesterday morning, dozens of similar posts appeared online, accompanied not only by text but also photos: Truck-Pulling Brother, dressed in dark blue jeans, with the brim of his hat turned up, pulling a handcart, walked calmly down the street. A red flag fluttered on the cart, bearing not only a photo of himself but also the words “Truck-Pulling Brother Yan Jiaman Spreads Love on a 10,000-Mile Hike to Raise Tuition Donations for Children of Working-Class Families.”
Repeatedly Asked “Not to Notify Reporters”
At 9 a.m. yesterday, driven by curiosity, reporters tracked down Truck-Pulling Brother Yan Jiaman near the Baofeng First Road bus stop on Jianshe Avenue. He was all set to go, dressed exactly as shown in the online photos. Seeing the reporters, he said anxiously, “I repeatedly asked them to keep it confidential and not notify any reporters.”
“I can pull a handcart and endure hardship. I’ll walk all the way to Beijing, raising donations along the way and giving the money to children in impoverished mountainous areas who can’t afford to go to school,” said Truck-Pulling Brother. The reporter observed that the handcart was empty except for a large bag of shoes and a guestbook. He said these were specially purchased on Han Zheng Street — 20 pairs of shoes at 25 yuan each. He had prepared a donation box, and before setting off, a neighbor who runs a business donated 4,000 yuan to cover basic living expenses, along with an empty bank card. However, he lacked essential hiking items such as maps, food, water, and medicine.
Truck-Pulling Brother said the cart was custom-made for 1,300 yuan, and he planned to deposit every donation into the bank promptly and keep detailed records. Around 9:30 a.m., Truck-Pulling Brother officially set off. The reporters accompanied him for about an hour, and at every stop, passersby stopped to take photos and post on Weibo.
Reporters and Family Convince Him to Turn Back
“My family strongly opposed it; I sneaked out,” said Truck-Pulling Brother. He had the idea half a month ago, but his wife and two daughters strongly objected. Several sisters came to persuade him, making him promise on the spot, and even neighbors and friends advised him “not to act impulsively.” While walking with the reporters, they urged him to reconsider, but he insisted “I must go.” His phone rang dozens of times — all calls from family — which he didn’t answer for fear of being persuaded.
Before departing, he first went to his company to complete resignation procedures. The reporters accompanied him to a logistics base on Gutian Second Road. During lunch, the reporters privately informed his family. Twenty minutes later, his three sisters, a neighbor, and a close friend arrived one after another.
“Your eldest daughter is about to take her postgraduate entrance exam, and your second daughter is about to start an internship and look for a job. At this critical moment, you, as a father, can’t leave!” His sister, who rushed over upon hearing the news, was in tears. “I’m not doing this for myself, I’m doing it to help others!” Truck-Pulling Brother argued with his sister... In the end, after collective persuasion from the reporters and family, he finally relented.
“Jiaman is a good man, but he tends to act impulsively and without much thought,” said his third brother, sounding somewhat helpless.
Yesterday noon, he returned home with his family. His third brother gave him the 1,300 yuan used to make the handcart and plans to return the 4,000 yuan donated by the neighbor on a later date. Truck-Pulling Brother himself also said, “I didn’t think things through. Now I realize there are many other ways to do good.”