In a small village in Sichuan province, China, a 24-year-old father named Zhang Liyong was seen digging a grave with his own hands—for his still-living 2-year-old daughter. The emotional scene has struck a chord with people around the world.
Zhang’s daughter, Lei, has been battling a rare and severe form of congenital anemia since she was just 2 months old. Despite the family’s best efforts and spending everything they had, they could no longer afford the ongoing treatments required to keep her alive. Monthly blood transfusions are vital for her survival, but the medical bills have already exceeded 140,000 yuan—far beyond what Zhang can afford on his modest income of 2,500 yuan per month.
Faced with the unthinkable, Zhang began digging a grave in a quiet field. Not because he had given up, but because he wanted his little girl to become familiar with what might soon be her final resting place. He hoped this would somehow soften the fear for her, if the worst should happen.
Despite her fragile health and the isolation caused by her condition, little Lei remains curious and playful. She spends her days chatting with the ducks, playing with her puppy, and enjoying moments with her father, who takes her fishing whenever he can.
Lei’s mother, Deng Min, shared that doctors have said a stem cell transplant could offer hope—but neither parent is a match. Holding onto a thread of possibility, they made the decision to have another child in hopes that the baby could be a compatible donor. Deng Min is due to give birth on July 7.
However, even with a suitable donor, the transplant and related treatments cost another 12,000 yuan—money the family simply doesn’t have.
Images of Zhang lying beside his daughter in the freshly dug grave have gone viral across Chinese social media. As the story spread, thousands were touched by the raw love, pain, and courage shown by this young father. Many viewers said it made them reflect deeply on their own families—and left them in tears.
