A heroic pensioner rescued a drowning woman from a lake in eastern China.

The video was filmed in Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province on May 13.

On that afternoon, the West Lake was bustling with visitors. Suddenly, urgent cries for help echoed near the Stone Tablet Pagoda. "Someone help! A person has fallen into the water!" Xi Defu, a retired journalist, who was enjoying his time by the lake, swiftly pushed through the crowd and rushed to the scene. There, he spotted a woman struggling in the water, her head and hands barely above the surface, clearly exhausted.

In this critical moment, Xi didn't hesitate for a second. He leapt into West Lake and swam vigorously towards the drowning woman. Drawing upon his extensive experience and skills in water rescues, he manoeuvred behind her, lifting her steadily and swimming towards the shore. Amidst the tension and anticipation of the onlookers, Xi managed to bring the woman to safety in just a matter of minutes.

The entire scene was captured by bystanders on their mobile phones and quickly circulated on social media. Netizens flooded the internet with praise and gratitude for Xi's heroic act. They hailed him as a "true hero" and expressed their admiration and thanks in various ways.

It's worth noting that Xi, a retired employee of Inner Mongolia Radio and Television Station, served as a senior journalist at the Hulunbuir Reporter Station for many years. Not only does he possess extensive experience in the field of journalism, but he's also a dedicated party member actively engaged in public welfare and helping others.

Reflecting on the rescue, Xi humbly stated, "I didn't think at all at that moment, I acted purely on instinct to save a life. I believe it's something everyone should do."

The video was provided by local media with permission.

5月13日，杭州西湖边上演了一幕惊心动魄的营救。一名女子不慎落水，命悬一线之际，一位白发老人挺身而出，毫不犹豫地跳入湖中，成功将女子救起，而这位英勇的救人者是66岁的退休记者——希德夫。

当天下午，西湖边游人如织。突然，石函精舍附近传来了急促的呼救声，“快来人啊，有人落水了！”正在湖边游玩的希德夫听到呼救后，迅速推开人群，冲向事发地点。他看到一名女子在水中挣扎，头和手勉强露出水面，但已明显体力不支。

在这危急时刻，希德夫没有丝毫犹豫，纵身跳入西湖，奋力游向落水女子。他凭借着自己丰富的水中救人经验和技巧，绕到女子后方，将她稳稳托起，并带着她游向岸边。在众人的紧张和期待中，希德夫仅用短短一两分钟就将落水女子成功救上岸。

这一幕被在场的游客用手机记录下来，并迅速上传到社交媒体上。网友们纷纷点赞留言，对希德夫的英勇行为表示由衷的敬佩和感激。他们称赞希德夫为“真正的英雄”，并用各种方式表达对他的敬意和感谢。

据了解，希德夫是内蒙古广播电视台的退休职工，曾在呼伦贝尔记者站担任资深记者多年。他不仅在新闻界有着丰富的经验，还是一名热心公益、乐于助人的老党员。对于这次救人事件，希德夫表示：“我当时什么也没想，完全是出于本能去救人。我觉得这是每个人都应该做的事情。”