A 90-year-old's love letter to his ill wife

What's the expiry date on love? Different couples may give you different answers. But a 90-year-old man in Southwest China's Sichuan province shows that not only he believes in love, but can still love.

Tang Junwen wrote his wife who was ill a letter thanking her for loving him for more than 60 years and encouraged her to fight her illness. The letter has moved many internet users who say they have started believing in love again.

Tang's wife, Liu Xianrui, fell ill at home in Meishan, Sichuan province, at night on Feb 11. When Liu did not get better the next day, Tang contacted their children and sent Liu to a local hospital.

The diagnosis showed that Liu was in a serious condition, so Liu was transferred to a hospital in Chengdu, about 70 kilometers away from Meishan. Fearing the diagnoses would worry Tang, his children did not inform him about the transfer.

When Tang went to the local hospital to see Liu in the afternoon of Feb 13, he found his wife gone. Even though he had a problem in his right leg, he anxiously searched every ward of the hospital and even went to parks and vegetable market his wife used to go to.

When all his efforts proved futile, Tang went back to the hospital and called one of his sons. "I want to know how is my wife", Tang demanded, and refused to eat anything after coming back home. Unable to persuade Tang, his children told him where Liu was and arranged a video call for him to speak to her.

"He burst into tears when he saw my mother", said Tang's youngest son. "He told her to take good care of herself, and he will wait for her at home."

But in the afternoon of Feb 14, Tang showed up in the intensive care unit where Liu was hospitalized in Chengdu. Holding Liu's hand, Tang couldn't help crying again. Later, he remembered that it was Valentine's Day and said apologetically to Liu, "Sorry, I forgot to buy flowers for you."

On the next day, he brought two roses to Liu. It was the first time he had gifted flowers to his wife. In the evening of that day, he wrote a letter to Liu, and rewrote the letter the next morning. "He thought the first draft was not that profound," said Tang's youngest son.

Tang gave the letter to his wife in the afternoon of Feb 16, and asked a nurse to read it for Liu. "It's very moving. It echoes an old Chinese saying 'holding one's hands and growing old together'," said a nurse on the scene.

"We are very close. I'm very happy that he gifted me flowers and the letter," said Liu.

"(Liu's) condition has improved a lot. The doctor said she could leave hospital in a few days," said a relative of Liu.

Tang and Liu met each other via other's introduction more than 60 years ago and both felt happy with each other. Tang recalled that they were very poor at the time, and they married without rings, banquets and even new clothes.

Tang said his wife takes a good care of him. She usually lets him eat first and she eats whatever he leaves or just gives him all.

Because Tang has a bad leg, he uses wheelchair when going out. His wife usually carries the wheelchair down to the ground floor and then helps Tang go downstairs, and pushes him to go to parks. "She does not let me walk by myself as she fears I will stumble and fall down,” said Tang.

The full text of the love letter

Dear my wife Xianrui, I miss you so much!

We have been married for more than 60 years. In the 60 years, we have spent every day as newlyweds. We love each other. Our neighbors envy us. We have six filial children. We are satisfied and happy...

You suddenly fell ill, and our son sent you to Chengdu. I did not know where you were and looked for you everywhere, from many hospitals in Meishan to places we have usually been to. It was so dark, so cold, but my heart was even colder. I felt like I was like an orphan. What would I do without you?

My head was spinning. People usually recall many things when they lose hope. In the past 60 years, you lighted me up like a candle but sacrificed yourself. I dragged you down. I am ashamed and heart-broken! I am selfish. I did not love you in a better way, so you fell ill. Here I apologize to you wholeheartedly, my wife, I'm sorry!

I got a general physical examination yesterday. The doctor said that I am healthy. My health is due to your hard work and selfless contribution to me in more than 60 years. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I thank you for a lifetime!

My wife, you have to be strong in sickness. You believe human's strong will can defeat illness, combat all adversities and miseries. My wife, you have to be strong, strong! We will surely go back home hand in hand!

My wife, be strong. You know it's morning when you wake up from a bad dream! The sky will be very blue. The trees will be very green. Water will be very clear. We will walk hand in hand among the bustling crowd.

Your husband, Tang Junwen

Feb 16, 2017