Editor's note: With a mixture of joy and sorrow, 2015 is drawing to a close. We have gathered some of this year's touching and newsworthy China stories for a look back at the year. We hope that these inspiring tales about ordinary individuals give you warmth, strength and courage whenever you meet a challenge or any time you feel disappointed or frustrated in the coming year. May these memories shared by us all in 2015 enlighten everyone's future. We're always here applauding your every step forward.

Airline grants four-year-old double amputee's wish for 'wings'

A Chinese boy's dream of flying was fulfilled by an airline.

The four-year-old legless boy Xiao Feng poses with a pilot of China Eastern Airlines in the cockpit of a passenger jet at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan city, central China's Hubei province, February 4, 2015. [Photo/IC]

Xiao Feng wished for "a pair of wings" to help him fly after an accident two years ago led to the amputation of both of his legs, Xinhua news reported. China Eastern Airlines fulfilled the four-year-old's wish, when it made the boy a "pilot" for the day. Li took a tour of a plane, and even had the opportunity to visit the cockpit, taking a seat alongside the pilot.

Marathon couple: Never too old to run

Wang Zhangmin wipes away the sweat off her husband Hu Yingfu's neck. [Photo/Xinhua]

Wang Zhangmin is 69 years old, and her husband Hu Yingfu 78. Since 2013, the year they first ran in marathon, they have participated in more than 20 such runs in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and other cities. Now they have become famous among runners throughout the country. In response to wide applause and honor, the old couple said: "Life is like a marathon, running not only brings health, but also happiness. We will go on running all over the country in the future to let the health and happiness continue."

Eleven-year-old donates organs to save six people

A doctor examines the girl for the last time before the operation at Wujing Hospital in Beijing, Nov 9, 2015. [Photo/IC]

Yating was suffering from myasthenia since last summer and had been in a coma for 57 days due to a cerebral injury. After her parents were told by doctors that it was almost impossible for the 11-year-old to wake up again, they decided to donate the girl's heart, kidneys, liver and corneas in a bid to help those in need. Doctors stood in silence and paid tribute to the girl's remains before the operation. Her organs will reportedly save six people.

A mother's love for mentally disabled children

Xu Qin and the mentally disabled children in class. [Photo/CCTV News]

The official Weibo account of CCTV News in April published a story about a Chinese mother who has a mentally disabled son. The story moved many people on the Internet.

Xu Qin is a mother in east China's Zhejiang province. She found it difficult for her mentally disabled son to find a job after he graduated from a special education school. Therefore, she opened a free care center for children with mental disabilities where they can learn skills. Xu spends more than 100,000 yuan each year on the center. "I'm a mother with a mentally disabled son and will never give up," said Xu.

Daughter writes three-page travel guide for parents

One of the pages of the handwritten three-page travel guide. [Photo/Weibo]

Che Liang, who is 25-year-old, showed her love and care to her parents through a three-page travel guide that she had handwritten to help them travel to the United States to attend her wedding. The handwritten guide was posted on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese microblogging site, by one of Che's friends. She referred to Che as a "Darling Daughter" in the post.

10-word resignation letter goes viral

High school teacher's 10-word resignation letter. [Photo/ GuShaoqiang's letter shared on WeChat, a messaging service.]

A letter of resignation went viral this year "The world is so big, I want to take a look." A teacher named GuShaoqiang from Henan Experimental High School signed this letter and left for a trip, generating Internet users' admiration and respect for her courage. She told a reporter that the she made the decision to resign based purely on a really simple and personal reason. She still loved teaching but it's just good timing for her to have a break, she said. Comments from People's Daily also applauded her move.