Su Mingming, a 28-year-old nephritis patient, died on May 28 after his condition was made worse by jumping into water to save a drowning 5-year-old girl, according to Xiaoxiang Morning Herald in Hunan province.

Su Zhegui, Su Mingming's father said he wasn't surprised that his son had helped the girl.

"I taught him to help others from the time he was very young. It would have been unthinkable if he didn't help the drowning girl," he was cited by the newspaper as saying.

The Xin'an county government has awarded Su's family 5,000 yuan ($790.5) and is applying to the city government for a reward for Su's bravery.

Su Mingming got nephritis in 2010. Doctors told him to stay away from cold water or his condition would worsen.

Heeding their advice, he would even carry two umbrellas to keep himself safe if he was caught in a rainstorm.

Su Mingming was decorating his family's home when the 5-year-old girl named Meimei (not real name) fell into a pool on May 6.

According to Wu Jucai, Meimei's mother, the girl was washing slippers that fell into the water. When she tried to retrieve them, she fell herself.

Su jumped into the pool without hesitation to save the girl.

"I was so worried about him because a doctor had warned him not to get wet," Su's father recalled.

His fear was justified. Su got a high fever that lasted more than a week. His father moved him from a local hospital to the provincial hospital but Su's condition didn't improve.

Su Zhegui never thought a cold would kill his son. "He used to catch colds, but he'd get better later."

Trying to save his son, Su Zhegui spent all his money, about 100,000 yuan, which he was hoping to build a new house with in their village.

Meimei's parents were saddened to learn that Su's brave act led to his death.

Jiang Bin, a local government official, said the government would help Su's parents in the future and called on kind people to donate to the family.