In 1989, a strong earthquake almost flattened(摧毁)America, and over 300,000 peoplewere injured in less than four minutes. Though the earthquake had not ended completely, afather rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, he was surprised to find thatthe building was as flat as a pancake.
After a moment he came to himself and remembered the promise he had made to hisson, "No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you!"And tears began to fill hiseyes. As he looked at the ruins(废墟), it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering hispromise to his son. He rushed there and started digging in the ruins.
As he was digging, other helpless parents arrived, saying, "It 's too late! They're alldead! Come on, face the fact. There's nothing you can do!"To each parent he just replied,"Are you going to help me now?"No one helped. And then he continued to dig for his son,stone by stone.
Courageously he went on along because he needed to know for himself, "Is my boy aliveor is he dead?"He dug for... 12 hours... 24 hours…36 hours,then two hours later, he pulledback a large stone and heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, "Sean!"He heardback, "Dad! It's me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you werealive, you would save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised, 'Nomatter what happens, I'll always be there for you! 'You did it, Dad!"
"What's going on there?"The father asked anxiously.
"There are 14 of us, Dad. We're very frightened, hungry, thirsty and thankful you'rehere. When the building fell down, it made a triangle(三角形), and it saved us. "
"Come out, boy!"
"No, Dad' Let the other kids come out first, because I know you'll get me! No matter what happpens, I know you'll aways be there for me!"
