True love comes late

In the many public appearances he has made after his story became widely known, Mamatniyaz tearfully thanked his late father, and credited his own achievement to his childhood hero. But he never mentioned his mother, who is still alive.

Mamatniyaz said his mother left the family when he was 7 because she could not stand seeing her husband always spending their limited income on kids who had lost their fathers in coal-mine accidents, and risking his life time after time to save his colleagues.

Fortunately, Mamatniyaz found a wife who understands and supports him.

In 2000, Mamatniyaz finally was persuaded to meet Buzaynap Xirip, a primary school teacher. With no will and no time to prepare, Mamatniyaz came directly from a coal mine, face dirty and black, jacket worn and cheap. But she fell in love with him within 10 minutes.

"I didn't even notice he was disabled until the next day," Xirip, 36, said. "And he said to me, ‘I got injured because I saved people's lives. This is who I am. I do whatever I can to save and help people. Are you OK with that? You go back and ask your father. Call my pager if the answer is yes.' Can you believe he said that on our second date?" She laughed out loud.

The next morning, the lucky man's pager rang. Fifty-two days after their first encounter, they got married.

Fourteen years into their marriage, they have a daughter and three sons. Two of the boys are adopted.

The family of six had been living in a rented apartment that had barely enough space, Xirip said. She is happy to see local governments are now helping the family with two low-rent apartments.

Mamatniyaz owns a car-repair company that hires about 60 disabled workers. But Xirip usually rides an electric bike even during the cold winter to send her kids to school.

The business is bringing money in, but Mamatniyaz has given much of his income to orphanages, nursing homes and the army.

"I could have sat in my own car once, but my husband took the money and bought hundreds of tables and chairs for the army. I was really mad, and I ran back to my parents," Xirip said. "But he said to me, ‘The money could only make you comfortable, but now it makes hundreds of people happy. Isn't that better?' So what could I say? I came back to him." She said with a laugh.

Now her husband is considering adopting another orphan, who was abandoned because of his disabled legs. "If my wife doesn't agree with me," Mamatniyaz said, "I'll spend all I have to cure his legs. You have my word."

Later in Urumqi, where she was on vacation with their children, Xirip gave a firm reply to her husband's concern. "I love my husband. My husband loves me. That makes our big family good. A couple of more kids? No problem. My mom raised 10. Disabled or not, I don't mind," she said, and took a breath.

"My husband is a really nice man. I love him."

Chen Mengwei contributed to the story.