Hope may be fading for many, but as rescue work continues a week after the quake, a victim was successfully pulled alive out of the debris. Many thought 33-year-old Tang Xiong, a doctor at Central Hospital in Beichuan, would not make it. But it was his wife's support, buried with him for most of the time that kept him going.

At ten past nine, Sunday morning in Beichuan County, Tang Xiong was successfully pulled out from the rubble by firefighters.

Medical experts from Beijing and Liaoning joined hands in a thorough examination of Tang. And they say his condition is fundamentally sound.

And this lady, Xie Shouju, is Tang's better half. She says that it was when they were about to go to work Monday afternoon when the earthquake struck.

Xie Shouju, Tang Xiong's wife, said, "In just a split second I grasped my glasses and rolled over to the sofa. All the cement tiles then fell down. Thanks to the sofa the tiles couldn't hurt me and created a limited space for me to move. But at that time I didn't know my husband was buried down there as well. I thought he had already left for work, and he would come to save me. But after a while I heard him yelling for help, and the sound came from right beside me, about a-sofa-and-a-wall away. In the first couple of days, it was he who shouted for help. And I stayed cool, saving energy. He would check with me every couple of hours to see if I was still sober. And later on it was I who shouted for help. Just like that, we shouted in turn."

Yes, it was just like that. With support and faith in each other, the couple survived a seemingly hopeless and endless darkness. After days buried in the debris, the couple were finally rescued.

Xie Shouju said, "This miracle wouldn't have happened if there were no the Party, no country, no PLA soldiers, no firefighters and seismologists coming to our rescue."

Firefighters paid a visit to Tang in the hospital. Finally seeing their rescuers, Xie Shouju couldn't express more of her gratitude than giving the heroes a very big hug.

(CCTV May 19, 2008)