“I heard that Bed 516 is a war veteran.” “How unfortunate—he’s been left in a vegetative state.” In the hallway of the fifth-floor ward at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, family members of patients were murmuring among themselves.

　　It turns out that in 1985, Huang Chengxin answered the call of his motherland and took part in the Laoshan Defense Campaign against Vietnam, earning the title of “Outstanding Soldier.” Two years later, he was demobilized and returned to his hometown of Liuhe, Nanjing, where he supported his family by working away from home.

　　To make matters worse, on January 3, 2016, Huang Chengxin, who was working in Guangzhou, hitchhiked home. While passing through Jiangxi Province, the car he was riding in was involved in a traffic accident, leaving him with multiple injuries and unconsciousness. After emergency treatment at hospitals in other provinces and at a major hospital in Nanjing, he was transferred to the China Brain Resuscitation Treatment Center—Nanjing Zijin Hospital—for continued care.

　　Upon admission, Huang Chengxin was confused and exhibited spontaneous eye opening. According to the Chinese/Nanjing PVS Outcome Scale, he was in a “vegetative state” at the time of admission. President Wang Peidong of Zijin Hospital, along with Department Directors Zhang Xuzhong and Sun Xilin of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Department, personally attended the medical team’s consultation to develop a treatment plan.

　　After more than a month of treatment and rehabilitation care, coupled with the heartfelt support of his family, Huang Chengxin has shown marked improvement: he can now bring a small apple stick to his mouth on his own, and, following the therapist’s instructions, he can reach for a cup of water. He is now in a state of “minimally conscious awareness.” Witnessing these incremental gains, his wife and longtime comrades‑in‑arms were moved to tears, repeatedly expressing their gratitude to the hospital for its dedicated care.

　　On March 17, 2016, young employees from the Metro Company’s Maintenance Department rushed to Nanjing Zijin Hospital to visit Huang Chengxin. They brought cash, food, and nutritional supplements, along with heartfelt care and best wishes.

　　On that day, hospital staff also generously donated to support Huang Chengxin.

　　In the hospital’s conference room, in front of the donation box, Huang Chengxin’s family and his old comrades-in-arms, journalists from the media, leaders from the subway company, and donors, along with heads of the hospital’s various departments, gathered to exchange thoughts, offer mutual encouragement and gratitude. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious, and his family felt the genuine care of humanity and the warmth of society.

　　We look forward to our veteran warriors waking up soon and returning home to reunite with their families.