On June 17, 2017 (local time in USA), the memorial service of Maude Pettus, an American head nurse who worked at Xiangya Hospital in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, was held at Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut, the US. Parted from her husband, Winston Pettus who worked at Xiangya Hospital as a surgeon and died in the line of duty, for 73 years, she could now join him in heaven.

Winston Pettus and Maude Pettus

Winston Pettus and Maude Pettus

Picture (left): Dr. Winston Pettus of Xiangya Hospital and his plane

Picture (right): Maude Pettus (middle) working at Xiangya Hospital as a head nurse

Commissioned by Central South University, Dr. Tao Lijian, executive deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of Central South University and dean of Xiangya Medical College, Dr. Xiao Ping, secretary of the CPC Committe of Xiangya Hospital and Dr. Sun Hong, president of Xiangya Hospital, wrote to Yale-China Association of the United States and the Pettus family to express their deep gratitude and condolences. Prof. Li Xuejun, deputy director of the President’s Office and director of Office for International Affairs of Xiangya Hospital, attended the memorial service of Maude Pettus on behalf of Xiangya Hospital, taking with him the grief and sorrow of the faculties and staff of Central South University, Xiangya Medical College and Xiangya Hospital.

In 1940, dispatched by Yale-China Association of the United States, Winston Pettus and Maude Pettus came to war-ridden Changsha and Yuanling and threw themselves into the medical course of Xiangya.Between 1940 and 1945, Maude Pettus worked asahead nurse at Xiangya Hospital while Winston Pettus served as the chief surgeon, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying at the clinical frontline, until his untimely death.The American couple traveled across the vast ocean and voluntarily joined in China’s medical and health services.At Xiangya Hospital, they faithfully embodied the universal fraternity advocated by international humanism and devoted themselves to relieving the pain of the Chinese people in the old age together with the staff of Xiangya Hospital.Arriving at Xiayang Hospital at the critical moment, they not only helped the Chinese people in trouble, but also built a bridge of friendship between Xiangya Hospital and Yale-China Association of the United States.

Leaving for war-ridden Changsha at the critical moment

In 1912, Winston W. Pettus was born in Shanghai. Like other members in the family, he had a formal Chinese Name: Pei Wentan.Growing up in China, at the age of 17, he went back to the United States and studied at Yale School of Medicine where he met and married Maude. After graduation, he was admitted to Surgical Residency Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University in the City of New York and studied under the famous surgeon Dr. Allen Whipple.

In 1940, completing his training as surgical resident, Winston Pettus gave up the high-salary post offered by New York Fbrum Hospital and accepted the assignment of Yale-China Association to leave for Xiangya Hospital in Hunan Province, China, to which he devoted his life, together with his wife.

On the eve of the outbreak of the Pacific War, Japan once again partially adjusted its strategy toward China and launched the battle against Changsha on the front battlefield. Changsha was plunged into flames of war.

In order to preserve medical resources, led by Dean Zhang Xiaoqian, Xiangya Medical College moved to Guiyang. With the advancing of the battlefront, Xiayang Hospital and Xiangya School of Nursing moved to Yuanling and Leiyang in batches. Only some medical staff and workers were left in Changsha to guard the remaining valuable assets and aid the people living in the city.

Winston Pettus (first from the bottom) and Maude Pettus on a ship to China

Medical staff left at Xiangya Hospital included Dr. Phil Greene, a doctor of Yale-China Association, Dr. Dorothy Galbraith, a British doctor, Dr. Dimitri Afonsky, a Russian dentist, Direcotr Xiao Yuanding, Dr. John Lin., Marjorie Tooker, a nurse who came to Xiangya Hospital after graduating from West Reserve School of Nursing in 1939, and 9 Chinese nurses.

At this point, Winston Pettus and Maude Pettus accepted the assignment of Yale-China Association and came to Changsha.Winston Pettus took over 70% of the hospital’s surgical operations from Dr. Phil Greene while Maude Pettus, serving as the head nurse, cared for 80 patients in the hospital together with 10 nurses.

Taking the lead to donate blood and founding Xiangya Blood Bank

Surgeons are the most wanted doctors and blood is the most needed resource during war time. Due to the influence of the traditional thought that "we should protect our flesh and blood, as hair and skin are given by parents", the Chinese were generally prejudiced against blood donation. Changsha was the frontline in the war. Without sufficient blood, the treatment of severely wounded could not be carried out smoothly. As a result, in addition to treating patients, the Pettuses had to donate blood.

However, the blood donated by medical staff was in short supply. Winston Pettus came up with the idea of establishing Xiangya Blood Bank.He took the lead to donate blood. Many Chinese hospital staff were moved and joined in blood donation. Winston Pettus got a list of 70 blood donation volunteers.Meanwhile, with the donation from Santa Barbara, California, as the start-up capital, he set up a fund to reward blood donors and financially aid those patients who could not afford blood transfusion.

This list of volunteers and reward fund ensured the sick and wounded were treated. Winston Pettus had been working on his blood donation popularization campaign even when he worked at Xiangya Hospital in Chongqing and Central Hospital in 1945.On many occasions, he personally donated blood or encouraged friends, hospital staff and medical students to donate blood for major operations.Thanks to his unremitting efforts and with the support of Rotary International, American Red Cross (through the help of Dr. John Scudder) and the Department of Medical Administration of the Chinese military, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of China established Chongqing Blood Bank to meet the needs of hospitals.

Retaining the evidence of Japanese invasion of China in diaries and family letters

Xiangya Hospital, founded by Yale-China Association, was like Noah"s Ark in Changsha during the war time.Millions of refugees swarmed into Xiangya, seeking shelter. Soon both south and north campuses of Xiangya were overcrowded with patients.On September 26, 1941, there were only 2 doctors and 3 nurses stayed at Xiangya in Changsha among whom were the Pettuses.

Between 1941 and 1942 Winston Pettus truthfully recorded the atrocities of the Japanese army in Changsha, plundering and slaughtering residents and burning Xiangya, during the Anti-Japanese War, which have also become the irrefutable evidence of the Japanese invasion of China. "Dear family, early this morning, we were awakened by the constant booming of guns in the distance. We were not frightened at all because it had lasted for several days…" "Boomers flew over Xiangya, devastating large parts of the city.The other day we were stitching up the wound for badly mutilated patients.A child 3/4 of whose small intestine was cut off miraculously survived." "In order not to be raped by Japanese soldiers, many women blackened their faces and applied manure onto their clothes. A girl hid in a pigsty and escaped the misfortunes of her sisters."

Numerous soldiers wounded in battles and innocent civilians ravaged by Japanese soldiers were sent to Xiangya which was soon overcrowded with patients. Winston Pettus had to visit 50 inpatients, handle 100 outpatients and perform 10 operations every day while Maude Pettus as a nurse was busy looking after the sick and wounded. In his spare time Winston Pettus recorded the outrages of Japanese soldiers in his diaries: "A man was forced to carry baggage for a Japanese soldier. When he was exhausted, the Japanese soldier made three stabs at him with a knife. One penetrated the lung, resulting in pneumonia; one cut through the spine, leading to hemiplegia; the third stab wound developed into a lumbar abscess." "One patient supported his head with two hands when he was hospitalized because a Japanese officer slashed his head with a saber and severed his neck and back muscles."

Professor Xiao Yuanding who also stayed in Changsha recalled that the Pettuses were very sympathetic to the poor refugees and worked all day long, but they never looked tired. Even when the hospital moved to Xiangtan, Winston Pettus often went back and forth between Xiangtan and Changsha. After Japanese soldiers retreated, he organized workers to restore the assets of Xiangya burned by Japanese army and began to treat patients before other hospital staff returned back to Changsha.Thanks to his efforts, Xiangya once again continued medical services even though it had been seriously damaged.

Winston Pettus asked in one of his diaries full of compassion, "We can cure the physical wounds of the patients caused by the brutal invasion of Japanese army, but how long will it take to remove their misery and sorrow?"

Making contributions to reconstruction of Xiangya

In the summer of 1942, Maude Pettus gave birth to her first child, Ann.The birth of Ann brought the Pettuses joy and comfort, but soon on a trip to Yiyang, Winston Pettus was unfortunately infected with schistosomiasis. After several months of treatment, the symptoms were not relieved. In the spring of 1943, the Pettuses returned to San Francisco, the United States, for further treatment.

In the following year, Winston Pettus continued to study Chinese at Berkeley and worked in the department of surgery in a local hospital as a visiting doctor. As tuberculosis was prevalent in China, he realized he must learn to treat patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. So he received 6 months of training in the department of chest surgery at Barnes Hospital and during this period of time he obtained the pilot license.

At the end of 1944 the Pettus family was ready to return to China. However, due to the tense situation in China, women and children were not allowed to go to the war zone. Maude could not go. She and her daughters saw Winston off, but they never thought this time they parted forever.

On August 14, 1945, Japan declared unconditional surrender. On September 4, in Chongqing Professor Xiao Yuanding held the first relocation conference to arrange Xiangya’s moving back to Changsha. Winston Pettus assisted with the preparatory work. He was mainly responsible for raising money and obtaining a large quantity of drugs, goods and medical supplies. As he had extensive ties with the U. S. army and many hospitals in different places, he could often obtain a lot of relief supplies. For example, he raised 4,000,000 silver dollars from International Rescue Committee for the reconstruction of Xiangya; he walked for 8 miles to collect 400 ml plasma from the American military pharmacy near Zhijiang and sent it to Yuanling; he received 8 trucks donated by Wartime Transport Committee to assist with the relocation of Xiangya.

He was busy rushing between Chongqing, Zhijiang, Yuanling, Shanghai, Kunming and Changsha, trying his best to support the reconstruction and re-opening of Xiangya. He wrote to Maude who stayed in the United States, "What I can do for Xiangya is to travel across the country to make various parts of Xiangya keep in touch with each other, win aid for the reconstruction of Xiangya and collect as many medical supplies as possible…" He was full of confidence about the reconstruction of Xiangya and looked forward to working together with Maude in Changsha. "I can assure you when you and daughters come, it will be quite safe here and we can afford the expenses of our family. I hope you can make preparations immediately, get your passport and make a plan… A lot of Chinese friends were asking when you could come."

Maude was also actively preparing, hoping to come back to China with her two daughters and join her husband in reconstructing Xiangya.

Pilot killed in plane crash, with the air rescue dream dashed

On November 3, 2016, Xiangya became the first air medical rescue base hospital in Hunan Province, and held a helicopter medical emergency drill, trying to open the "air lifeline" and committed to building the "gold hour" life rescue network covering Changsha. In fact, as early as in 1945 Winston Pettus began to think about how to make the "air rescue dream" of Xiangya people come true. He rushed about, rescuing patients and reconstructing Xiangya. This experience made him realize if Xiangya had planes, it would greatly benefit the hospital and patients. He learned to fly when he recuperated in the United States and began to prepare for the realization of the "air rescue dream" immediately after coming back to China.

Winston Pettus persuaded the U. S. army to sell two planes to Xiangya at an extremely low price to assist with the reconstruction and relocation of Xiangya.Waiting for the arrival of the purchased planes through tedious processes in Shanghai, he wrote to Maude, "Tomorrow morning I’ll fly to Chongqing. It’s good to stay a few days in this lovely city, waiting for the planes, but I can’t wait to meet you here and take you on one of Xiangya’s planes when you come back to China. Then our life will be complete."

On November 13, 1945, Winston Pettus continued the work of flying planes to assist with the reconstruction of Xiangya which he had started since September. On this day, as usual, he took off from Chongqing with some funds and supplies needed for the reconstruction of Xiangya, but did not know this was his last flight. Before setting out, he left a note for one of his hospital colleagues, saying he would come back in 2 to 3 weeks. Due to the bad weather, he failed to fly directly to Changsha as scheduled. Instead he went by way of Kunming and Guiyang.

On November 18th, after a brief stopover in Guiyang, he decided to continue to fly to Changsha when the weather was slightly better. However, after he took off, the weather suddenly changed and it was foggy. His plane crashed onto a mountain about 10 miles away from Huangping.

Winston Pettus was unfortunately killed in the plane crash. His personal belongings together with a condolence letter issued by Xiangya were sent back to his family members by the U. S. Consulate in China while his remains were ceremoniously carried back to Changsha by faculties and students of Xiangya so that he could come back to the hospital and campus and be buried in his beloved land.

Xiangya faculties and students present at the funeral of Winston Pettus

On December 9, 1945, Xiangya Community in Changsha held a memorial meeting for Changsha. Near the north wall of the hospital and opposite the west entrance to the building of the old medical school was erected a white marble tombstone engraved with "He devoted all he had, great courage, infinite enthusiasm, remarkable brilliance, to this land, which we, his grateful colleagues, students and friends, will always bear in mind!"

A centenarian’s everlasting love for Xiangya

It remained the biggest regret for Maude to be parted from her husband. She lived in the United States, but she still missed China and Xiangya where she worked together with her husband. She often drove to the memorial hall of Yale-China Association at Yale University, gazing at the collections and recalling the old days she spent in Xiangya.

Since 2012, Dr. Gary Zhou, trustee of Yale-China Association and alumnus of Xiangya, had come across Maude several times at the Cheongsam ball, an annual celebration and fundraising activity held by Yale-China Association. Although she was around 100 years old, she was still very active and often paid attention to Xiangya where she worked as a head nurse and where her beloved husband laid down his life. Whenever she learned that Xiangya people came to Yale for advanced studies, she would meet them and ask about Xiangya.

In 2014 Maude went back to Xiangyaand celebrated her 100thbirthday

In 2014, Maude returned to Xiangya Medical College and Xiangya Hospital to celebrate her 100th birthday. Touching the familiar bricks of the Red Building and recalling the days she spent together with her husband, she seemed to be back to those years. "I love him!" Speaking of her husband, her eyes were always shining with love. "I’m proud of him! It’s the best way to celebrate my 100th birthday at Xiangya where he worked and for which gave his life." In 2015 Maude was invited by the Chinese government to attend the commemoration and watch the military parade held to mark the 70th Anniversary of Victory of Chinese People’s Resistance against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War and was met by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Maude’s later years

Professor Li Xuejun, the Pettus’daughter Ann and her son Christopher Winston Mattina, grandson Reed Winston Mattina (age 8), President of Yale-China Association David Youth and Dr.Gary Zhou, trustee of Yale-China Association(first from left)

On April 22, 2017, Maude Pettus, the American head nurse who once worked at Xiangya Hospital, passed away at the age of 103. On June 17 (the U. S. time), more than 200 guests from all over the world including many faculties of Xiangya studying in America came to Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut to mourn the passing of this wise lady and her great husband.

Winston Pettus wrote in his diary when describing the forced withdrawof Xiangya from Changsha, "The hospital buildings may be destroyed in the war, but hundreds of trained doctors, nurses and leaders are indestructible." We can also say today that a person will pass away, but his/her stories and spirit will never disappear. The Xiangya spirit represented by the Pettuses will influence generations of Xiangya people.

As Maude Pettus said, "Some people are so bright that they not only illuminate their own way, but also lead the way for others. Even in the darkness, their brightness will continue to enlighten ever heart they touch."