Brother Tiger and His 125 Days’ Fight Against COVID-19

when I got into contact with Zhang Kai,also known as “Brother Tiger,” he was busy sterilizing and disinfecting in Beijing with more than 30 members of his team.

On February 18,Zhang Kai led his volunteer team to Wuhan to help transport anti-epidemic materials and COVID-19 patients,where he stayed offering volunteering service for nearly two months.Since then,they have continued their epidemic-fighting trip nationwide to Suifenhe of Heilongjiang Province,Shulan of Jilin Province,and Beijing.Many of them have been away from home for more than 100 days.

Zhang Kai has spent a total of 780,000 yuan on this epidemic fighting trip,and he has no regrets: “When we have no money,we can always make more.Yet as long as the epidemic is not gone,we won’t be able to live in peace.”

To Wuhan

50-year-old Zhang Kai is a native of Suifenhe.After he was demobilized from the army,he first worked in a public security department and then went to Dongguan of Guangdong Province,south of China to do business in 1997.He resides in Hongmei Town of the city.

In 2017,Zhang Kai started a transportation team mainly to provide services for the enterprises in the town,which became the predecessor of his volunteer motorcade.

On January 25,2020,the first day of the Chinese New Year,right after his return from a long distance trip,Zhang Kai began to provide volunteer service with his motorcade for the local battle against COVID-19 in Dongguan.Meanwhile,Zhang Kai was preparing to go to Wuhan,the hardest-hit city then.

He first contacted a local social worker in his town and then got in touch with the local Youth League Committee.On February 13,Zhang Kai received a notice from the Provincial Youth League,offering professional protective training for his volunteer team.Zhang Kai then made a “supporting Wuhan” call in a WeChat group of dirvers,to which more than 20 members responded and joined his team.

On February 18,Zhang Kai’s motorcade set out on their way with permission.Each person drove their own car,and brought their own protective clothing,masks,thermometers,and other materials.They drove for more than 1,100 kilometers and finally arrived in Wuhan.

In Wuhan,the transportation team was mainly responsible for delivering anti-epidemic materials and transferring COVID-19 patients.According to Zhang Kai,anti-epidemic materials and resources were scattered in different areas of the metropolis and even other parts of Hubei Province.They had to go all around to collect these materials and then redistribute them,covering dozens or even hundreds of kilometers back and forth.During this period,volunteers from other parts of the country joined one after another.At most there were more than 90 members on his team.Wang Lidong,a taxi driver from Suifenhe,was one of them.He had driven 3,000 kilometers to Wuhan to join Zhang Kai’s team.

率爱心车队逆行武汉、绥芬河、舒兰和北京 花掉78 万元在所不惜

Zhang Kai delivering anti-epidemic materials 张凯开车运送物资

我联系上“虎哥”张凯时，他正带着三十多名队员，在北京忙消杀。

2月18日，张凯带领他的“虎哥爱心车队”逆行到武汉，帮助运送物资、转运病人，志愿服务近两个月。此后，他们又跟着疫情跑，先后转战黑龙江绥芬河、吉林舒兰和北京，参与疫情防控工作，很多人100 多天没回家。

张凯为此花费了78 万元，但他说：“钱没了可以挣，如果疫情不消除，生命可能就无法保障。”

驰援武汉 一声号召众人响应

今年50 岁的张凯是黑龙江省绥芬河市人，退伍后曾在公安部门工作，1997年前往广东东莞创业，目前居住在东莞市洪梅镇。

2017年，张凯成立了一个车队，主要为洪梅镇的企业提供服务。这个车队就是“虎哥爱心车队”的最初班底。

今年1月25日是大年初一，刚从外地回到东莞的张凯还没来得及休息，就带领车队为东莞一线疫情防控人员提供免费服务。同时，张凯正在筹备着去武汉参与抗疫。

张凯首先联络了洪梅当地的一名社区干部，随后联络上当地团委。2月13日，张凯接到广东团省委通知，先组织专业人士对爱心车队成员进行防护培训，等指挥部正式下达命令后再前往武汉。他在微信群发出支援武汉的号召，有20 多人响应并决定加入爱心车队。

2月18日，经过批准，张凯带着他的“虎哥爱心车队”，一人一辆车，自备防护服、口罩、体温测试仪等物资，驱车1100 多公里来到武汉。

在武汉，车队主要负责搬运物资和转送病人等工作。张凯介绍，物资分布在武汉城区甚至湖北各地，他们要到各地去领取再配送，来回经常要跑几十甚至上百公里。其间，还有全国其他地方的志愿者陆续加入，最多时“虎哥爱心车队”有90 多人。最远的是绥芬河的出租车司机王立东，他风雪兼程三天三夜，驱车3000 公里来武汉加入张凯的队伍。

继续北上 助家乡绥芬河抗疫

4月8日武汉解封，张凯也率领“虎哥爱心车队”驶离武汉。原计划完成武汉志愿工作后，与10 名成员前往巴基斯坦打工。不过，想到国内疫情还没有结束，特别是家乡绥芬河市出现了疫情，张凯又改为北上。

“去武汉与去绥芬河，心情是不一样的，毕竟绥芬河是我的家乡。”张凯说，车队还有两名队友是绥芬河人，为了家乡早日战胜疫情，他们义不容辞。一方面，他们可以提供更多可供调度的车辆；另一方面，他们能把武汉的一些防疫经验带到当地，助力疫情防控。

To Suifenhe

On April 8,with the situation getting better and restrictions on outbound traffic lifted in Wuhan,Zhang Kai and his team left this city.His original plan was to work in Pakistan with 10 of his members.However,seeing that the epidemic was still rampant in the country,especially in Suifenhe,his hometown,Zhang Kai changed his mind and headed northward.

“I felt somehow differently when I was heading for Suifenhe,because it is my hometown,” Zhang Kai said.Two teammates were also from Suifenhe,so they feel obligated to help in this battle against the epidemic.They could provide more vehicles for transportation,and they hoped to use some of their experiences in Wuhan to help their hometown as well.

On the afternoon of April 9,Zhang Kai and other two drivers arrived in Suifenhe.Later more of his team members also arrived successively.Given the shortage of personal protective equipment,Zhang Kai appealed online to collect materials such as masks,protective clothing,goggles,disinfectant,hand sanitizer,medical gloves,medical alcohol and etc.

“Our team members and volunteers have been very helpful and have provided a lot of supplies,” Zhang Kai said.No matter which city he was in,there were always local volunteers joining his team.He was moved and motivated by their efforts.

In Suifenhe,Zhang Kai and other volunteers took charge of the sterilizing and disinfecting work in the communities and participated in the construction of mobile cabin hospitals there.They also went to the streets,distributing masks to cleaners and helping deliver materials.

To Shulan

On May 7,a new confirmed case in Shulan broke the 73-day record of zero new confirmed cases of Jilin Province.By 24:00 of May 13,the number of new confirmed cases increased to 14 in just a few days,which lifted the city’s risk level to high and made it the center of attention for the whole country.

At that time,Zhang Kai and his team members were helping at Hongqi Hospital in Mudanjiang City of Helongjiang Province.Reading the latest epidemic news,Zhang Kai and other six members turned to Shulan.

“When we arrived in Shulan,many shops were closed and few pedestrians were seen on the street,” Zhang Kai told us.There he recruited another 30 volunteers and everyone supported him.

“We normally worked from 6 am to 6 pm every day,sterilizing 80% of the communities in Shulan once a day,” said Zhang Kai.Though exhausted,they were content to see the situation there getting better and better.

As a new COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing occurred recently,Zhang Kai and his team went all the way to Beijing.After receiving the nucleic acid test,they immediately started to work,helping with sterilizing and disinfecting.

780,000 yuan spent in 125 days

“Many people asked me why I’m doing this.After spending more than 2 months in Wuhan,it made sense that I went to Suifenhe,since it is my hometown,but then why continue to Shulan and Beijing? What did I do it for?” Zhang Kai said that he didn’t think too much about it,he just wanted to do something and to help end the epidemic as soon as possible so that everyone can live a safe and healthy life.

His son is only 13 years old and lives in Dongguan with his wife.Speaking of his son,tears well up in Zhang Kai’s eyes.

“My wife and my son have demanded several times for me to go back to Dongguan and rest,but I didn’t listen,” Zhang Kai said.“They never blame me; they just tell me to stay safe and take care of myself.” Zhang Kai have never shared his anti-epidemic stories on WeChat Moments,for fear that his family might read them and get worried.He only posts them on Douyin,a short video app.

Traveling from one place to another,a large amount of money was needed to provide accommodation and meals for his team members,to refuel the vehicles,and to buy materials like sterilizers and PPE.Zhang Kai said that he himself has spent 780,000 yuan,without receiving funds from any organizations or individuals.

Volunteering is dangerous and costly,but is it worthy? “It’s not about worth; it’s about things I want to do.If I don’t do it,I will feel guilty all my life.Money can be earned back,yet if the epidemic is not eliminated,the whole society will be in danger.” Zhang Kai said,after he finishes everything in Beijing,he will return to Dongguan to reunite with his family,and give his wife and son a big hug.

“Actually,I feel extremely sorry for the brothers and sisters who have come along with me all the way.More than 30 of them have been away from home for more than 100 days.” Zhang Kai said,he is very grateful to those car owners and volunteers from all over the country.Without their support and help,he wouldn’t have lasted this long.(Translation: Lu Qiongyao)

4月9日下午，张凯率领3 辆车抵达绥芬河，与陆续赶到绥芬河的其他车队队员会合。为了缓解抗疫物资紧缺问题，他在网上号召大家筹集口罩、防护服、护目镜、消毒液、洗手液、医用手套、医用酒精等物资。

“很多队员以及其他志愿者都非常给力，提供了很多物资。”张凯说，不管在哪个城市，都有当地志愿者加入他的队伍，大家齐心协力抗疫，让他很感动也更有干劲。

此后，张凯带领志愿者负责街道、社区等处的消杀，同时还参与了绥芬河方舱医院的建设。他们走上街头，为环卫工人发放口罩，帮助搬运送到绥芬河的各种物资。

转战舒兰 消杀当地80%小区

5月7日，吉林省舒兰市新增1 例确诊病例，打破了吉林省73 天无新增本地确诊病例的纪录。至5月13日24 时，舒兰市几天来累计增加了14 例确诊病例，风险等级也被调成了高风险，这座县级市顿时成为全国的焦点。

当时，张凯和队员们在牡丹江红旗医院支援。看到最新的疫情消息后，张凯等一行7 人到了舒兰。

“我们到舒兰时，街上很多店铺关门停业，路上行人很少。”张凯说， 除了团队成员外，他也在舒兰当地招募了30 名志愿者，大家都很支持他。

“每天工作时间，基本上为早上6 点到晚上6 点。我们消杀了舒兰市80%的小区，频率为一天一遍。”张凯说，虽然累，但是随着舒兰疫情一天天好转，他们感觉很有成就感。

6月，北京再次出现新冠肺炎疫情，张凯和他的爱心车队成员，又从吉林赶到北京增援。在接受核酸检测后，他们迅速投入消杀工作。

抗疫125 天 花掉78 万他觉得值

“不少人问我，已经在武汉忙碌了两个多月，绥芬河是自己家乡去支援也说得过去，为什么还要接着去舒兰、北京，你图什么？”张凯说，他其实根本没想那么多问题，就是简单地想做点力所能及的事情，让疫情早日结束，大家过上平安健康的生活。

张凯的儿子才13 岁，和妈妈居住在东莞。说到自己的儿子，张凯两眼泪花。

“妻子和儿子几次让我回东莞休息，我都拒绝了。但是他们从来没有怪过我，只是嘱咐我注意安全，保重身体。”张凯说，为了不让儿子和妻子担心，他一般不发微信朋友圈，抗疫故事只发抖音。

转战四地，车队队员们要吃饭住宿，车辆要加油，还得购买消杀设备等，这些都需要大量资金支持。张凯说，他一个人就花费了78 万元，没有接受过任何单位和个人的资助。

出来做志愿者不仅危险，还花这么多钱，值得吗？“这不是值不值得的事，这是我必须去做的事情。如果不去做，我会内疚一辈子。钱没了可以挣，如果疫情不消除，生命可能就无法保障。”张凯说，等在北京的事情忙完，他会回东莞与家人团聚，给妻子和儿子一个拥抱。

“其实我最对不起的，是那些跟我一路走过来的兄弟姐妹，其中有30 多人都已经100 多天没回家了。”张凯说，他非常感谢来自全国各地的车友和志愿者的支持帮助，不然他一个人很难坚持下来。