Elderly Farmer Traveled 12 Hours Every Day for 105 Days Just to Hold His Wife’s Hand for 30 Minutes Before Her Final Goodbye

Chen Achong was 82 years old, but love gave him a strength that age could not take away.

When his wife, Xue, suffered a stroke and later developed severe pneumonia, she was admitted to the ICU at Li Huili Hospital in Ningbo, about 100 kilometers from their home in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. For Chen, the distance did not matter. What mattered was that his wife was lying in a hospital bed, and he wanted her to know she was not alone.

The ICU allowed visits for only 30 minutes each day, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. So every morning, Chen woke up at 4:30 a.m., prepared food for Xue, and began the long journey by bus. He had to transfer along the way before finally reaching the hospital. After spending just half an hour beside her, he would wait quietly in the corridor until afternoon, then take the long trip back home.

He did this for 105 days.

During each visit, Chen held Xue’s hand, wiped her face, adjusted her blankets, and softly talked to her about the life they had shared. They had been married for more than 50 years. To him, she was not just his wife. She was his partner, his family, and the person who had walked beside him through a lifetime of hardship and love.

His devotion touched everyone who saw him. The hospital adjusted visiting hours just for him. His bus fare was waived. Strangers donated more than 140,000 yuan after learning he had already spent his life savings on Xue’s treatment, and even their son’s house had been sold to help cover the costs.

On March 13, 2026, Xue passed away as Chen was preparing to leave the hospital.

His final words about her were simple, but unforgettable:

“She was the best wife in the world.”