At Ward 103 of the Jiangning Branch of Nanjing Zijin Hospital, Auntie Xu and her husband, Old Sun, have been staying for two years. When they first arrived, Old Sun was in a vegetative state following a cerebral infarction, but the family never gave up hope. After about six months of treatment, he began to regain consciousness, which greatly lifted their spirits. Following his recovery, Old Sun continued his rehabilitation in the ward; he can now follow instructions, raise his left hand, and even call out the names of his wife and children.

During the recently concluded National Day holiday, the couple missed their son’s wedding but watched the live stream from his hospital bed. “Right now, all I want is to keep recovering here and hope he can stand up again,” said Auntie Xu.

“Dad is one of a kind!” After a cerebral infarction, he fell into a coma, but his family never gave up.

On the morning of September 26, 2020, Old Sun was admitted to the local hospital’s ICU after suffering a sudden cerebral infarction; his condition was critical. With his entire body wired up to numerous tubes and monitors, he weighed heavily on Aunt Xu and her children, who spent every day praying at the ICU entrance for his recovery. Yet in the end, they received a stark “verdict” from the doctors. “At the time, the doctors advised giving up,” Aunt Xu said, adding that relatives also began urging them to abandon treatment. However, her son’s words—“There’s only one father; if the money runs out, we can earn it again”—bolstered the family’s resolve to press on with care.

After making inquiries through various channels, on November 16, 2020, Auntie Xu accompanied Old Man Sun, who remained unconscious 50 days after his surgery, to Nanjing Zijin Hospital, where they began a long journey of rehabilitation.

Old Sun’s initial condition after his cerebral infarction.

She went out only once in two years, and her short hair grew into long locks.

Caring for her husband, who was in a vegetative state, Aunt Xu initially had no experience and could only rely on professional caregivers. Over time, however, she grew increasingly confident and capable. She would feed her husband first, then eat herself; she brushed his teeth five times a day. Two thick notebooks, filled with daily records of turning him over and administering meals, stand as the best testament to her dedication. On ordinary days, whenever Old Sun made even the slightest movement, she would attend to him without delay. Over the past two years, the longest period Aunt Xu spent away from Old Sun was when she left the hospital to discuss her son’s wedding arrangements with her in-laws.

Auntie Xu takes care of Old Sun’s daily needs.

When she first arrived at the hospital, Auntie Xu sported a neat short haircut. Over the past two years, she hasn’t left the campus and hasn’t had time to style it, so her hair has grown into a medium length. “Why would I bother going out to fuss with it? Let it grow—when he can see me anytime, he feels at ease, and so do I,” Auntie Xu said with a soft smile.

The son and daughter of Old Sun and Aunt Xu are well-known throughout the hospital campus for their filial devotion. For more than 700 days—two years, day in and day out—no matter how the weather changes, they always prepare their parents’ meals and drive dozens of kilometers from Jurong City to deliver them punctually to the Jiangning Campus of Nanjing Zijin Hospital. From the initial special‑care meals to the regular fare they enjoy today, these dutiful children fill Aunt Xu with deep pride.

The two of them watched their son’s wedding livestream in the hospital room.

Lying in his hospital bed, he watched his son’s wedding livestream, and this year he even celebrated his second “birthday.”

Auntie Xu told reporters that when she first entered the ward, Old Sun showed no response at all. “After lying there for more than half a year, I began to notice he started to become aware when we spoke. Then, in April this year, he even called out his son’s nickname—everything has been slowly getting better.”

Gao Jirong, deputy director of Ward 103 at the Jiangning Branch of Nanjing Zijin Hospital, stated that Mr. Sun suffered bilateral cerebellar infarctions, temporal lobe hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage. Following surgery, he developed severe complications and was transferred to Nanjing Zijin Hospital in a vegetative state. After receiving comprehensive, aggressive treatment—including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, pharmacological interventions, and rehabilitation—the patient began to exhibit minimal consciousness and has now fully regained consciousness.

On the day of his son’s wedding, Old Sun had set it for the first day of this year’s National Day holiday. Little Sun and his beloved walked hand in hand into the marriage hall, with relatives and friends filling the seats below. Though the bride and groom’s parents weren’t there in person, they watched the ceremony live on their phones from their hospital beds. “That day, Old Sun was far more spirited than ever before—right after waking up early, he clutched his phone, eager to catch the live broadcast of his son’s wedding.” For Old Sun to be able to witness his son’s wedding in person was, for the whole family, a truly fulfilling moment.

On September 26 this year, Old Sun’s children even threw him a second birthday celebration, specially preparing red envelopes and heartfelt wishes to mark their father’s rebirth. “September 26 is the day of his new birth, symbolizing the beginning of a new life…”

Auntie Xu hopes that Old Sun will get better and better and be able to stand up.

Goal: Recovery within 3–6 months; we hope Old Sun can stand up again.

From a CNPVSS score of 2 and a GCS score of 8 upon admission, to today’s scores of 16 on the CNPVSS and 12 on the GCS—moving from a state of unconsciousness to full mental clarity—every step of Old Sun’s progress has been nurtured by the devoted care of his wife and children. “This is all thanks to Director Gao Jirong, as well as therapist Xu Xiuzi and the nurses’ attentive care. Soon, Old Sun will be able to have his tracheostomy tube removed!” Auntie Xu said, her voice growing increasingly joyful, tears glistening in her eyes. “Before, when our family doctor or others asked about Old Sun’s condition, they even thought he was gone. Hearing that he can now eat and speak has left them absolutely astonished! At first, we were so cautious, afraid of doing him any harm. But things are different now—we’re training him with confidence, and one day, he’ll surely be able to stand up again!”

Deputy Director Gao Jirong also told reporters from the Yangtze Evening News/Ziniu News that a patient in a vegetative state who has remained fully conscious for more than two years is far from an unusual case at Nanjing Zijin Hospital. This has given other families considerable hope. For patients who have suffered either a stroke or a traumatic brain injury, prolonged family perseverance may increase the chances of recovery. Director Gao added that, going forward, Old Sun’s rehabilitation plan will focus on restoring function in his hemiplegic limbs and on training him to reintegrate into society. “We hope that over the next three to six…” After one month, the patient is able to walk with a cane and has attained a certain level of social reintegration.