World · East Asia & Pacific · 5 hrs ago
Chinese mother-in-law cares for injured daughter-in-law for 17 years
Xuan Fengying, 68, cared for her daughter-in-law for 17 years in Qingyun County, China.
A truck hit the daughter-in-law in 2009, just a month after she married Xuan’s son, leaving her in a vegetative state.
Xuan fed and washed her, changed her position more than 10 times a day to prevent pressure sores, and kept talking to her.
The daughter-in-law eventually regained consciousness, but serious brain damage left her with the cognitive abilities of a four-year-old.
After rehabilitation, she can now say a few words and make simple food.
Xuan has health problems of her own and has asked her son to continue caring for his wife after she dies.
A 68-year-old woman in China has cared for her daughter-in-law for 17 years after she was left in a vegetative state in a traffic accident.
The accident happened in 2009, one month after the younger woman’s wedding.
After years of care and rehabilitation, the daughter-in-law can say a few words and make simple food.
She has severe brain damage and cognitive abilities described as comparable to those of a four-year-old.
The mother-in-law says she considers her daughter-in-law one of her own children and has asked her son to continue caring for his wife.
- Who
- Xuan Fengying, 68, cared for her daughter-in-law, identified as Xu.
- What
- Xuan cared for Xu for 17 years after a traffic accident left her in a vegetative state. Xu later regained some abilities.
- When
- The accident happened in 2009. Reports about the story were published on October 25.
- Where
- Qingyun County, Shandong province, China.
- Why
- Xuan said her daughter-in-law was like her own child because she had married her son.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Xu was hit by a truck one month after her wedding and entered a vegetative state.
Xu emerged from the vegetative state, though she had severe brain damage.
Xu learned to say a few words and make simple food.
The South China Morning Post reported on Xuan’s 17 years of caregiving.
- Caregiver
- Xuan Fengying, 68
- Location
- Qingyun County, Shandong province, China
- Accident
- 2009, one month after Xu’s wedding
- Care period
- 17 years
- Current abilities
- Xu can say a few words and make simple food
3 sources
What people are saying
My daughter-in-law married my son, so she is just like my own child. How could I abandon her?
I only hope that my daughter-in-law recovers.
I told my son to continue looking after his wife after I pass away.