A man from East China volunteers to prevent people from drowning for eight years. Photo: Pear Video

Haunted by the drowning of a young fellow lifeguard, volunteer Wang Hexing is finally being recognized for his efforts to warn families and teenagers of the dangers of swimming in the Yellow River. 

Wang Hexing has been warning people not to swim near the deep and fast flowing Zhangqiu segment of the Yellow River since 2011, the year four young people drowned there.

"The most painful thing is that a senior high school student on my rescue team lost his life while trying to save someone from drowning. From then on I decided to stop people from swimming in the river to avoid this kind of tragedy," Wang said. 

Wang's hometown in East China's Shandong Province is actually called Yellow River Town. 

He continues to patrol the river bank dissuading children from swimming in the dangerous area, and has spoken at schools warning of the hazards. "I have been to over 100 schools, more than 100,000 people have benefited." said Wang in an online video in which he says he gets little respect.

"People laugh at me," he said, adding that even his wife does not support his efforts.

Since the video was released, he's been getting a lot of praise. 

"What a good man! He saved a lot of families," wrote a netizen whose comment received many thumbs up.

Pear Video