Thousands of people holding chrysanthemum flowers went to the Jingzhou Memorial House to see off the teenagers, all 19-year-old students from the Yangtze University based in Jingzhou City.

数以千计的人们手捧菊花，自发地到荆州市殡仪馆，送他们的少年英雄最后一程。这三位小英雄都是来自荆州市长江大学的19岁学生。

State Councilor Liu Yandong, Hubei Provincial Party secretary Luo Qingquan and Provincial Governor Li Hongzhong sent their wreaths to the ceremony.

国务委员刘延东、中共湖北省委书记罗清泉、省长李鸿忠为烈士们献上花圈。

The three heroes gave life to others and risked death themselves, said Zhang Zhongjia, Communist Party secretary of the Yangtze University. "They are the pride of their parents, elites of the nation and models of the time."

“三位英雄把生的希望带给他人，把死的危险留给自己，”长江大学党委书记张忠家说，“他们是父母的骄傲、民族的精英、时代的楷模。”

People touched by their selfless act had donated more than 500,000 yuan (73,206) to their relatives as of Wednesday, Zhang said.

张忠家还表示，他们舍己救人的事迹感动了很多人，截至周三，社会各界共向英雄家属捐款50多万元（合73,206美元）。

More than 10 students from the Yangtze University formed a ladder with one student holding another`s arms to rescue the two boys in the river on the afternoon of October 24.

10月24日下午，长江大学十多名大学生手拉手结成人梯扑进江中营救两名落水的男孩。

One of the students lost his grip on his classmates and all of them were in danger. Several members of a winter swimming team nearby came to help. Chen Jishi, He Dongxu and Fang Zhao were swept away in the torrent, but others were saved.

其中一名同学因体力不支而松开了搭档的手，此时所有人都陷入了危险之中。正在附近的几名冬泳队员赶来营救，其他的同学获救了，而陈及时、何东旭、方招3人却消失在湍急的江水中。

Millions of Internet users made online comments on major news portals to show their grief.

在各大新闻门户网上，数百万网民在线留言以寄哀思。

I am also a college student. I feel sorrow for you, said "Liu Zhuoya," from northwestern Xi'an City.

来自西北城市西安的网友“刘卓娅”说：“我也是一名大学生，听说你们的事迹，我很难过。”

However, some questioned the sacrifice.

但是，对于他们的牺牲，网上也存在一些不同的声音。

"Sacrifice three and rescue two, is that worthwhile?" asked "Tiaozhantianya" on the forum of www.163.com. "Rescue can not be blind as they could not swim."

“为了救两个小孩子，牺牲了三个大学生，值得吗？！”网易网友“挑战天涯”发问。“精神可嘉做法不可取！自己不会游泳就不要贸然下水！”

Besides economic values, society has moral and social values. Morality is above self-interest, said Li Jiahua, deputy head of the China Youth University of Political Sciences.

中国青年政治学院副院长李家华说：“现代社会的价值观除了经济价值，还有道德价值和社会价值，而道义注定高于一切个人利益。”

It was a heroic deed, he said.

他表示：“这是一个英雄的壮举。”