Dance for love: enduring online criticism, woman’s story of caring for her severely paralysed husband inspires positivity

The woman posted a video of herself dancing near her bedridden husband, who is in a vegetative state, sparking criticisms

But she has dedicated her life to caring for the man, and has become an inspiration for many

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This video of Cui Fangli dancing received a lot of criticism, until details of the couple’s story emerged. Photo: Weibo

Published: 6:00pm, 16 Feb 2022Updated: 1:08pm, 17 Feb 2022

What seemed to be a case of online backlash against perceived heartlessness turned into a story of a woman who is remarkably dedicated to her bedridden husband.

Cui Fangli, 46, was lambasted online when she shared a video on social media of herself dancing happily beside her husband, Fang Jianhui, who lost his ability to function, including eating and excreting, after a stroke in 2019, according to a report in Qianjiang Evening News.

People said Cui was being “heartless”, and one user even asked if she was “trying to kill [Fang] by making him angry so you can find a new husband?”

As the real story emerged, it became clear that Cui has essentially dedicated her life to keeping Fang alive.

Cui (left) with her husband Fang Jianhui before he had a stroke. Photo: Weibo

She said her daily routine includes helping Fang exercise to prevent muscle degeneration, feeding him with food paste through a catheter and removing his mucus every two hours to keep his airways clear.

Cui said she dances as a way to ease pressure and stress.