Burdened by decade-long caregiving, Guangxi son prays for his paralyzed mother’s peaceful passage

CHINA: In Guangxi, China, a man has dedicated more than a decade to tending to his bedridden mother, yet her condition remains unchanged.

The weight of caring for his mother over these long years became increasingly burdensome. Recently, he found himself on his knees, tears streaming down his face, as he fervently prayed for his mother’s “swift passage to heaven,” freeing both of him and her mother from the torment of the past decade.

As reported by Chinese media, a video emerged online last Thursday (26 Oct) depicting a man in his thirties, dressed in the attire of a repairman, kneeling before his mother.

In the video, the man shared that his mother had been paralyzed for over a decade, and the entire family had taken on the responsibility of her care.

During that time, the family was financially stable, alleviating the need for his mother to work outside. Throughout this period, the entire family was preoccupied with her well-being.

However, despite the passing of more than ten years, his mother remains bedridden, unable to regain her mobility.

Meanwhile, the man, previously filled with youthful vitality and little concern for the future, has transformed into a weathered middle-aged individual, weighed down by life’s harsh realities.

Once hopeful of seizing every opportunity for upward mobility and a prosperous life, he now, as a repairman, has succumbed to the struggles of daily existence.

The family has exhausted their resources in purchasing medication for her, leaving them in dire financial straits.

Feeling helpless, the man knelt with tears, yearning for an end to their shared suffering.

He also revealed that he has dedicated nearly every waking moment to caring for her over the past ten years. To ensure his mother’s cleanliness, he assists her with multiple washings daily, changes her diapers four or five times, feeds her, tends to her after defecation, and spends at least three hours daily washing and comforting her.

Now, he finds himself at a breaking point, fervently desiring an end to his mother’s pain and an alleviation of his own burdens.

“Today, I knelt and kowtowed to my mother. Moving forward, I will simplify my caretaking, not longing for many more years but merely wishing for my mother’s early entrance into a peaceful afterlife, free from suffering.” As he uttered these words, tears streamed down the man’s face as he involuntarily knelt to pray.

Empathy for the struggles of long-term caregiving

Upon learning of the man’s plight, many netizens expressed sympathy and understanding, acknowledging the arduous and burdensome nature of caring for an ailing loved one.

Some empathized with the mother’s apparent distress, hoping for a swift resolution to their current struggles and a return to a happier life.

It has been reported that subsequent to the news going public, relevant social welfare agencies have stepped in to provide assistance.

A Weibo user commented on the news, lamenting the heart-wrenching ordeal faced by only children in such situations. The user recognized the difficulty in providing care for ageing parents and the challenges children face in offering that support.