American's decades-long bond with Chinese hometown leaves legacy of kindness

Detailed summary

In 1987, when David V. Plymire first returned to Huangyuan, the plateau county in China he had left decades earlier for the United States, locals were surprised that he still spoke the local dialect fluently.

This file photo taken on Sept. 19, 2005 shows David V. Plymire in Huangyuan County, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua)

This undated file photo shows David V. Plymire (C) and his sister Mary Ann Plymire (R) communicate with Yu Yaode, former director of Huangyuan County People's Hospital, at the hospital in Huangyuan County, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua)

Wang Shikang (R), the former head of the Huangyuan County People's Hospital, Huang Jiong (C), the current head of the hospital, and Bai Qiming, son of David V. Plymire's childhood friend Bai Yongsheng, greet David V. Plymire during a video meeting on Nov. 2, 2026.

This photo taken on Nov. 10, 2026 shows the letters between David V. Plymire and Wang Shikang, the former head of the Huangyuan County People's Hospital, displayed at the hospital's history exhibition hall in Huangyuan County, Xining City, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

Wang Shikang (R), the former head of the Huangyuan County People's Hospital, shows sea-buckthorn berries to David V. Plymire during a video meeting on Nov. 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

Opening of the article, excerpted from Global Times. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.