BEIJING: A woman in central China has captured the hearts of many online after helping her husband emerge from a years-long vegetative state by biting his toes to stimulate his nerves.
Song Mei, 45, a former kindergarten art teacher from Henan province, and her husband Zhao Jinqian, a waterproofing worker, had lived modestly with their two children before tragedy upended their lives.
Local reports described the couple as generous even when it exceeded their means. Song gave free painting lessons at home to children from poor families, while Zhao, after years of gruelling work on construction sites, sponsored a student from a remote mountain area.
In October 2019, Zhao climbed onto a warehouse roof to rescue a trapped three-year-old child. He fell from a height of about six metres while holding the youngster in his arms, using his body to shield the child as they plunged to the ground.
The child escaped unharmed, but Zhao landed head first, suffering severe brain injuries and multiple fractures. Doctors said his chances of waking were vanishingly small, and that he had survived at all was a miracle.
The cost of keeping that miracle alive quickly ate up the family’s savings. Song quit her job to care for Zhao full-time, cleaning and massaging him, talking to him daily, and selling paintings online to keep the family afloat.
The rescued child’s father also remained close to the family. Despite his own limited means, he reportedly borrowed and raised 45,000 yuan (US$6,600) for Zhao’s treatment.
Song said doctors had advised her to stimulate Zhao’s fingers and toes to aid nerve recovery. One day, according to Elephant News, she accidentally bit his toe and noticed a faint response.
From then on, she covered his foot with a food bag and continued biting his toes for years, later crediting the unusual practice with helping bring him back to consciousness.
In 2024, Zhao began to open his eyes slightly. Though he still could not speak or move at the time, his responses to outside stimulation grew stronger, renewing Song’s hope.
During his daily rehabilitation, she would sing to him, and she had reportedly slept fewer than four hours a night for years.
Today, Zhao can respond in limited ways. He can understand speech, raise his hand in reply, and briefly stand with help.
On June 30, while lying in his hospital bed, Zhao turned to his wife and whispered: “Song Mei, I love you.” Song burst into laughter out of sheer joy and leaned her head against his.
During writing practice, the only words Zhao could form were his wife’s name.
“Everyone says the road ahead is difficult, but husband and wife are meant to weather hardship together,” Song once wrote on social media. “I do not know the best cure, but I am willing to keep going through all the long years.”
No details have yet been released about Zhao’s future treatment plan.
The story has gripped mainland social media, drawing admiration for Song’s devotion and debate over her unusual method.
“Zhao is a hero for saving a life, and Song is a hero for creating a miracle,” one online observer wrote.
Another netizen said Song could have used her hands or a clip instead of biting him, but added: “I still admire her selfless love. Many children may not even do this much for their own parents.” - South China Morning Post
