The Vietnamese man carries a Chinese woman suffering from severe abdominal pain out of a tourist site in China to find a taxi for emergency medical assistance on February 20.
Netizens in both countries have widely praised his quick and compassionate response, which was recorded in a social media clip.
The heartwarming incident was also featured by the Guizhou Daily Newspaper in China, attracting significant interest from readers.
Speaking to Dantri reporters, Pham Trung Hieu, 37, Director of Halong Adventure Company in Quang Ninh, confirmed that he assisted the woman in Guizhou Province.
The incident occurred on February 20, when Hieu was visiting Qingyan Town, one of the province's four most famous ancient towns.
"When I saw the woman in distress, I thought anyone would do the same. I couldn't just stand by and watch," Hieu shared.
The Vietnamese tourist recounted that while leisurely taking photos at the site, he noticed a woman in her early twenties, pale-faced and clutching her stomach in pain. Her companion appeared flustered and unsure of how to help.
"I approached and asked in my limited Chinese, but she was in too much pain to respond. I decided to carry her to the gate and find a taxi to take her to the hospital," Hieu said.
Carrying the woman along the ancient town's winding paths and steep steps was an immense challenge.
At first, his good physical condition enabled him to move swiftly. However, after ten minutes, fatigue set in. In the final few hundred metres, he gasped for breath, his shirt soaked in sweat despite the chilly five-degree Celsius weather.
"I had to stop four times along the way. It took me about 30 minutes to climb the thousands of stone steps. Some sections were steep, making the journey even more difficult.
Near the gate, I was utterly exhausted and on the verge of collapsing. My arms, legs, and back ached intensely. When I couldn't take another step, I asked her companion to carry her the rest of the way," he recalled.
Hieu poses for a photo at Qingyan Town.
To this day, Hieu does not know the woman's identity. However, the man expressed his joy in being able to help someone in need while travelling abroad, making for a memorable experience in Guizhou.
Hieu has been working in the tourism industry for 15 years. He arrived in Guizhou on February 18 for a five-day, four-night trip organised by a local partner to explore new destinations and promote Vietnamese tourism to the province.
