China
15:33, 16-Oct-2017
Elderly couple that went viral passes away before play based on their love finishes
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A musical play based on the lives of an elderly couple who moved millions of people in China last October has almost finished, yet neither husband or wife will be able to see it performed.
Hailed as a symbol of true love, a photo of the couple holding hands in their hospital beds went viral last year. The couple had been married for over 66 years, and the photo captured hearts all over the world.
Photo via Zhejiang Daily
Photo via Zhejiang Daily
Photo via Zhejiang Daily
Photo via Zhejiang Daily
The trending photo was taken by nurse Wang Yanfang, at a hospital in east China's Zhejiang Province, where the couple was hospitalized on October 27, 2016.
The couple holding hands in their beds in a hospital in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, on October 27, 2016. /Photo via Qianjiang Evening News
The couple holding hands in their beds in a hospital in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, on October 27, 2016. /Photo via Qianjiang Evening News
Feng Ming, the husband, suffered from serious heart disease and was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the third floor while his wife, Zhang Ping, who had bone fractures was being treated on the 14th floor, according to Qianjiang Evening News.
Wishing to die peacefully at home, the 92-year-old husband told his doctors his last wish: to see his wife and hold her hand. The doctors permitted the meeting allowing the couple to bid farewell to each other, not knowing that Feng would die at home two hours later.
Photo via Zhejiang Daily
Photo via Zhejiang Daily
Professor Liang Qing from Ningbo University has written a musical theater featuring the couple's story. His hope was to perform the musical in front of Zhang, as a testament to their lasting love, before she passed away.
The rehearsal of the musical play featuring the old couple's love story. /Photo via Zhejiang Daily
The rehearsal of the musical play featuring the old couple's love story. /Photo via Zhejiang Daily
While Liang was creating and amending the script, Zhang was admitted to the emergency clinic in late September. and later passed away on an undisclosed date, Qianjiang Evening News reported on Saturday. She never got the chance to see Liang's play about her love story.
Hearing the news, Liang wrote on his WeChat: “We tried our best, hoping you can hear our singing. We are almost finished the play, just a week later, we can sing it for you. However you passed away…Granny, we didn’t get to know each other, but we will sing your true love story in the future."