A poignant photo of an elderly Chinese couple who have been married for nearly seventy years has captured hearts around the world. The image shows the two holding hands in intensive care and evokes deep emotions in millions of people.
Wang Yanfang, head nurse of the intensive care unit at Yinzhou Hospital in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province, also experienced this touching moment.
Feng Ming, 92, was admitted to the intensive care unit due to heart failure. Unfortunately, his health deteriorated, leading to multiple organ failure and a lung infection. He was no longer able to communicate and was placed on life support.
Realizing that time was running out, his family decided to stop treatment and bring him home. But Feng had one final wish: to see his beloved wife Zhang Ping, who is 95 years old and recovering from a broken femur in another part of the hospital.
Wang, the head nurse, explained: “Normally, visiting hours in the ICU are from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., but given Feng’s critical condition, we couldn’t wait”. She arranged a meeting for the couple, fearing it might be their last farewell.
With Wang’s help, Zhang was transported on a stretcher from the 14th floor to the intensive care unit on the third floor. When they finally met again, Zhang took Feng’s hand and reassured him in her native language, saying: “Don’t worry about me. I will take care of myself”.
Feng was moved to tears by her words and died peacefully at home just a few hours later. Looking back on the emotional encounter, Wang expressed her gratitude for being able to make this final meeting possible and emphasized its significance.
This heartbreaking story reminds us of the enduring love that Feng and Zhang shared throughout their years together, and was an example of true love even in their final moments.