Chinese Man in Vegetative State After Saving Toddler Experiences Miracle Recovery Thanks to Wife's 'Toe Stimulation'

Fell Six Meters While Saving a Child Seven Years Ago
Wife Quit Her Job to Provide Full-Time Care
Stimulated His Fingers and Toes as Advised by Doctors

A story from China has captured the public’s attention: a man who had been in a vegetative state for years after suffering severe injuries while saving a child regained consciousness, thanks to his wife’s devoted care.

On July 9, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the story of a wife who bit her husband’s toe, who had been in a vegetative state for seven years, is moving many people.

When his wife Song Mei lightly bit her husband's toe, she noticed a subtle reaction. Since then, she continued consistently stimulating her husband's toes by covering his feet with plastic bags for hygiene purposes. SCMP

Song Mei, 45, from Henan Province, is a former kindergarten art teacher. Her husband, Zhao Jinqian, worked in waterproofing construction and lived a diligent, if not affluent, life with their two children. Despite their difficult circumstances, the couple never hesitated to help those around them. Song Mei provided free art lessons to children from underprivileged families, while Zhao Jinqian reportedly used his earnings from construction work to support students in remote mountain areas.

The tragedy occurred around October 2019. At the time, Zhao Jinqian learned that a three-year-old child was trapped on the roof of a warehouse in Kaifeng, Henan Province. The child, moving on an old asbestos roof, had gotten stuck and was at risk of falling. Without hesitation, Zhao Jinqian climbed onto the roof. As he picked up the child, the old roof collapsed, and he fell about six meters while protecting the child in his arms. The child was shielded by Zhao Jinqian’s body and was not seriously injured, but Zhao Jinqian suffered severe trauma to his head and chest and was taken to the hospital. Medical staff diagnosed him with severe open-head injuries, cerebral hemorrhage, multiple skull fractures, cervical spine fracture, and rib fractures. Simply surviving was considered a miracle, with doctors saying the chances of regaining consciousness were extremely low.

According to local reports at the time, Zhao Jinqian briefly regained consciousness during a CT scan and asked, “Is the child okay?” When Song Mei replied, “The child is fine, please take care of yourself first,” he lost consciousness again. From that moment, Song Mei never left his side. She quit her job to provide full-time care for her husband, washing his body, giving massages, and talking to him every day.

She also supported the family by selling her artwork online while caring for their two children. The family of the child rescued by Zhao Jinqian did what they could to help with the medical bills despite their own difficulties. The child’s father reportedly borrowed and collected 45,000 yuan (about 1 million won) and gave it to the family. Later, Song Mei received advice from medical staff that stimulating her husband’s fingers and toes could help with nerve recovery.

One day, by chance, she discovered a slight response when she lightly bit her husband’s toe. Afterwards, for hygiene reasons, she covered his foot with a plastic bag and consistently continued to stimulate his toes. Through this dedicated care, repeated stimulation, and rehabilitation efforts, Zhao Jinqian began to show gradual improvement. In 2024, he started to open his eyes, and his responses to external stimuli became increasingly distinct. Currently, he is able to understand speech, express himself by raising his hand, and, with assistance, can stand for a short period. Recently, it was reported that while lying in bed, he looked at his wife and managed to say with great effort, “Song Mei, I love you.”

Meanwhile, Zhao Jinqian’s good deeds have also been brought back into the spotlight. In recognition of his heroic act of shielding and rescuing the three-year-old at the time of the accident, he received a “Righteous Act Hero” award from the Henan provincial government in 2021. As the story spread, Chinese netizens commented, “The husband is a hero who saved a life, and the wife is a hero who created a miracle,” “This is a story that shows what true love is,” and “A heart that never gave up for years has brought about a miracle.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.