Earlier, reporters covered the story of “Ding Ying’s Care for Jiang Li.” Jiang Li, a young man from Zhenjiang, was once full of vigor and ambition, but a car accident in July 2020 left him with severe brain injuries, leaving him in a vegetative state. In 2021, thanks to his wife Ding Ying’s devoted care, Jiang Li was successfully awakened. By 2022, he was already able to perform everyday tasks such as climbing stairs and brushing his teeth and washing his face with ease. And in 2023, even better news arrived: Jiang Li can now engage in simple conversations and even assist fellow patients with their rehabilitation exercises.

At the end of March, Jiang Li and Ding Ying returned to Nanjing from their hometown in Zhenjiang to undergo a comprehensive rehabilitation program. This time, the progress Jiang Li has made came as a pleasant surprise to the medical staff who had treated him more than a year earlier. Pan Xingming, deputy director of the ward at the Jiangning Branch of Nanjing Zijin Hospital, explained that, first, Jiang Li’s mental state is noticeably improved compared with his previous condition; second, changes are evident in his speech abilities. On March 28, upon arriving at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, he was greeted immediately, and a military salute was rendered.

Jiang Li is a retired soldier. In July 2020, he was involved in a serious car accident and subsequently fell into a six-month-long vegetative state, during which his wife, Ding Ying, remained by his side. After receiving treatment, Jiang Li regained consciousness. Since then, Ding Ying has been sharing on social media the small but meaningful steps of his recovery. From a vegetative state to regaining awareness and cognitive function, Jiang Li can now not only climb stairs but also engage in simple conversations—and even assist other patients with their rehabilitation exercises. The road to recovery is long, yet the couple remains positive and optimistic. Ding Ying notes that whenever Jiang Li steps out of his hospital room and sees someone pushing a wheelchair, he instinctively offers to help push it; such small gestures help boost his confidence.

Ding Ying often browses short videos on various platforms, comparing how her physical movements, speech, and cognitive abilities have changed between this time of year and the same period last year. This practice has boosted her confidence. To date, she has posted 5,051 videos and amassed 960,000 followers. Her short-form content has also inspired many others. In addition, Ding Ying has established three WeChat groups for families of traumatic brain injury patients, connecting with over 1,000 such families across China to share experiences. Gao Hongliang, deputy director of the Rehabilitation Center at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, stated that going forward, they plan to employ neuroregulatory techniques and tailor individualized treatment plans for Jiang Li, while incorporating traditional Chinese medicine approaches to further enhance his ability to resume daily life.