A 19-year-old high school student in Yuzhou, Central China's Henan province, has been running 30 kilometers a day between home and school to save the 9-yuan ($1.4) fare, for two years, chinanews.com reported Friday.

Yan massages for his mother in an undated photo. [Photo/dahe.cn]

The student, Yan Mingqiang, is from a poor family with four siblings, and his parents are both ill, his mother bed-ridden. To reduce financial pressure on his family, Yan even works during each vacation.

The two years of running has made Yan a good long-distance runner, and his teacher believes he has good prospects in sports. Currently, Yan's biggest wish is his parents' full recovery.