According to Yang Jun's mother, Yang Jun met Zhu Juhua 14 years ago. They fell in love at first sight and soon got married. Yang Jun was an introverted and honest man, while Zhu Juhua was very open-hearted. In spite of their differences in character, they seldom quarreled. In the eyes of their neighbors, they loved each other deeply.

"The only explanation is that Yang Jun was suffering severe psychological trauma after the earthquake." Relatives, neighbors and village cadre all believe that it was Yang Jun's trauma that went on to destroy the happy family.

"He changed a lot after the earthquake," Yang Defu said, "becoming more silent and nervous. He tended to lose his temper, and sometimes even broke articles at random.”

"The house was also another private source of stress to him. It was built last year at a cost of 200,000 yuan (US$29,000). The rest of the family disagreed with building the house, but he insisted, and hence incurred debts of 20,000 yuan (US$3,000). After the earthquake destroyed the house, he repeatedly told himself, 'Without the house, without money, I have nothing'."

All the pressure had started to create friction between him and Zhu Juhua. Yang's family suppose that he was suddenly overwhelmed by his trauma on the evening of November 15, 2008, and reacted by killing his wife before committing suicide.

Yang's family members are also left with their feelings of guilt: "Why didn't we take him to psychological experts for help?"

But the tragedy has happened, and left further pain in its wake. The couple's two children, one in Beichuan Middle School and the other in Grade Three of a primary school, had already been through the earthquake. Now they have been faced with the death of their parents. How will their fragile hearts cope with all of this?

The couple's son Bowa, who is in Grade One of Beichuan Middle School, now has to cope with the death of his parents.

(China.org.cn by Wang Wei, November 18, 2008)