In 1989, an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened1 America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.
In the midst of utter devastation and chaos2, a father left his wife safely at home and rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake3.
After the unforgettably initial4 shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what, I'll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of ruins5 that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his commitment6 to his son.
He began to direct his attention towards where he walked his son7 to class at school each morning. Remembering his son's classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging through the ruins.
As he was digging, other helpless parents arrived, clutching8 their hearts, saying: “My son!” “My daughter!” Other well meaning parents tried to pull him off what was left of the school, saying: “It's too late! They're all dead! You can't help! Go home! Come on, face reality, there's nothing you can do!”
To each parent he responded with one line: “Are you going to help me now?” And then he continued to dig for his son, stone by stone.
The fire chief9 showed up and tried to pull him off the school's ruins saying, “Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You're in danger. We'll take care of it. Go home.” To which this loving, caring American father asked, “Are you going to help me now?”
The police came and said, “You're angry, anxious and it's over. You're endangering others. Go home. We'll handle it!” To which he replied, “Are you going to help me now?” No one helped.
Courageously10 he went on alone because he needed to know for himself: “Is my boy alive or is he dead?”
He dug for eight hours...12 hours...24 hours...36 hours...then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a large stone and heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, “ARMAND!” He heard back, “Dad!?! It's me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told 'em that if you were alive, you'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised, 'No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you!' You did it, Dad!”
“What's going on in there? How is it?” the father asked.
“There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. We're scared, hungry, thirsty and thankful you're here. When the building collapsed11, it made a triangle12, and it saved us.”
“Come out, boy!”
“No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, 'cause I know you'll get me! No matter what happens, I know you'll always be there for me!”
1989年，一场8.2级的地震几乎铲平美国，在短短不到4分钟的时间里，夺去了3万多人的生命！
在一片废墟与混乱之中，有位父亲将他的妻子在家里安顿好后，跑到他儿子就读的学校，却发现学校已被夷为平地。
这一幕他终生难忘。震惊之余他想起了曾经对儿子所作的承诺：“不论发生什么事，我都会在你身边。”至此，父亲热泪满眶。目睹学校变成了一堆瓦砾，真叫人绝望。但父亲的脑中仍然牢记着他对儿子的诺言。
他开始努力回忆每天早上步行陪儿子上学的必经之路，终于记起儿子的教室应该就在那幢建筑物后面，位于右边的角落里，他跑到那儿，开始在废墟中挖掘。
当这位父亲正在挖掘时，其他束手无策的学生家长赶到现场，揪心地叫着：“我的儿子呀！” “我的女儿呀！”一些好意的家长试图把这位父亲拽离废墟，告诉他“一切都太迟了！他们全死了！”“这样做没用的”，“回去吧，好了，要面对现实，你无能为力的”。
面对每位家长的劝告，这位父亲的回答只有一句话：“你们愿意帮我吗？”然后继续挖掘，掀开一块一块石头寻找他的儿子。
消防队长出现了，他也试图将这位父亲拽离废墟，对他说：“到处在起火，到处都在发生爆炸。你在这里太危险了。这边的事我们会处理，你回家吧！”对此，这位慈爱、关切的父亲仍然回答：“你们愿意帮我吗？”
警察赶到现场，对他说：“你现在又气又急，该结束了。你在危及他人。回家吧！我们会处理一切的。”这位父亲依旧回答：“你们愿意帮我吗？” 然而，人们无动于衷。
为了弄清楚儿子是死是活，这位父亲独自一人鼓起勇气，继续进行他的工作。
他挖了8小时……12小时……24小时……36小时……38小时后，父亲推开了一块巨大的石头，听到了儿子的声音。父亲尖声呼唤儿子的名字：“阿曼德！”父亲听到了儿子的回音：“爸爸吗？！是我。爸，我告诉其他的小朋友不要着急。我告诉他们如果你活着，你会来救我的。如果你救了我，他们也就有救了。你答应过我，‘不论发生什么，我永远都会在你的身边，’你做到了，爸！”
“你那里的情况怎么样？”父亲问。
“我们有33个人，只有14个活着。爸，我们好害怕，又渴又饿，谢天谢地，你在这儿。教室倒塌时，刚好形成一个三角形，救了我们。”
“快出来吧！儿子！”
“不，爸！让其他小朋友先出来吧，因为我知道你会接我的！不管发生什么事，我知道你永远都会来到我的身边！”
1. flatten v． 使平，铲平
2． in the midst of 在……中间 utter adj． 全然的，绝对的devastation n． 毁坏 chaos n． 混乱，混沌
3． pancake n． 薄煎饼
4． initial adj． 最初的
5． ruins n． 废墟
6． commitment n． 许诺；义务
7． walk sb． 护送某人
8． clutch v． 抓住，攫住
9． fire chief n． 消防队长
10． courageously adv． 有勇气，有胆量
11． collapse v． 倒塌，瓦解
12． triangle n． 三角形