[Global Link] 10,000 Life-Saving Masks in 2020!

Author: JEFFI CHAO HUI WU

Time: 2025-7-10 Thursday, 5:34 PM

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[Global Link] 10,000 Life-Saving Masks in 2020!

January 2020 was the heaviest and most resolute period of my life. At that time, I was still in Australia, far away from the outbreak of the pandemic in mainland China. But my heart was always tightly pulled—pulled by every piece of news from my hometown, my family, and my fellow countrymen. Every morning when I woke up, the first thing I did was open my phone to check the new data on the domestic pandemic, to see if anyone in my social circle had contracted the virus, and to find out if there were still hospitals crying out for help and people unable to find a single mask.

At that time, the virus was the first generation of the COVID-19 virus. It was not the type that people later became accustomed to, characterized by "mostly mild cases," but a truly virulent virus. Once infected, the condition deteriorated rapidly, with persistent high fever and difficulty breathing; many people couldn't even get into the hospital. Hospitals were overcrowded, with a shortage of beds, and doctors and nurses had to reuse masks. The public waited in line for several hours, only to receive five disposable masks, and some even returned empty-handed. Masks suddenly transformed from "daily necessities" into "lifesaving talismans."

What can I do? I am in Australia, relatively safe, but my relatives, friends, and fellow countrymen are on the front lines. I cannot do nothing.

So, I decided that no matter how difficult it was, I would find a way to get ten thousand masks and distribute fifty to each family of my friends and relatives in the country.

It's easy to say, but difficult to do. At that time, local masks in Australia had already started to run out, and the pharmacy shelves were empty. Online shopping channels had also been cleared out by early movers, with many being sold by scalpers at prices two to three times higher. Even if a source was found, the seller might not be willing to sell me ten thousand units; some even backed out at the last minute, and after payment, the price was forcibly raised.

I remember very clearly that there was a batch of medical-grade masks that I had already negotiated and paid for, but the other party suddenly demanded a threefold price increase before shipping, or they would not deliver. I did not hesitate. Although the price was astonishingly high, I knew that it was not the time to bargain; it was a race against time to save lives. I directly agreed to pay, gritting my teeth to ensure that I would get those ten thousand masks.

The entire procurement process began on January 3, 2020. I was contacting suppliers while coordinating packaging and shipping methods. At that time, international logistics were very tight, and I had to ensure that these masks could be safely and timely delivered in batches to each family member. I checked the addresses one by one, clearly labeled the packages, arranged for express delivery, and distributed them to each household. Fifty masks for each family, not asking for more, but just enough to help them get through that period.

I am not doing charity, nor do I have any organization or media to interview me. At that time, everything was driven by an instinctive concern: I may not be by their side, but at least I can do something. Every relative and friend who received a mask was immensely grateful, saying that it was a lifesaving kindness that I could still think of them while overseas. But I know that it is not kindness; it is responsibility.

At that time, I didn't think much and just quietly went to work. But looking back now, those ten thousand masks indeed became their talisman at the most critical moment. Even now, reviewing the WeChat records, tracking numbers, and procurement information from that period, I can still feel the anxiety and tension of being on the battlefield day and night. The delivery work started on February 9 and continued until April 2, 2020.

And this matter, I have never spoken about publicly. Because it is not a story for promotion, nor an achievement to boast about. It is simply the most natural choice I made as an overseas Chinese when faced with disaster. Others may not believe it, but I know that it was the most resolute action I took in my life.

Many years later, perhaps no one will remember the story of those ten thousand masks. But I know that in the darkest winter of 2020, I did everything I could to the best of my ability. This memory will forever remain in my heart, like the bright moon in the sky that year—cold, yet not devoid of hope.

Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=696798