Father who dug grave for dying toddler witnesses miracle 9 years later

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A father who dug a grave and lay inside it with his gravely ill 2-year-old daughter — hoping to make her less afraid of death — has seen a miracle unfold.

His daughter survived after a successful stem cell transplant, and the spot where the grave once stood has since been transformed into a sunflower garden.

According to the South China Morning Post on Aug. 13, Zhang Xinlei, from Neijiang in China's Sichuan Province, was diagnosed with severe thalassemia when she was about two months old.

Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder in which the body cannot produce hemoglobin properly. Severe cases require ongoing treatment, including regular blood transfusions.

Xinlei needed transfusions from early childhood. Her father, Zhang Liyong, earned 2,500 yuan a month working at a glass factory, and over two years the family spent more than 140,000 yuan on her treatment. Even with help from villagers, the family's savings ran dry and they could no longer afford to continue her care.

In June 2017, Zhang began digging a grave on the family's land. Once it was finished, he brought his young daughter down into it, lying beside her and playing with her.

He wanted the place that would become her final resting place to feel familiar and a little less frightening. His wife placed a small sign beside the grave appealing for help.

The family's story spread across China, and donations began pouring in to cover Xinlei's medical costs. Government medical support followed as well.

In August of that year, Xinlei's younger sister was born. The family preserved the newborn's cord blood, which Xinlei later used for a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

After more than eight hours of surgery and a lengthy recovery, Xinlei's blood counts returned to normal. The monthly transfusions she had depended on were no longer necessary, and her health steadily improved.

Nine years on, Xinlei is a healthy elementary school student who loves drawing and dancing. Her mother said a recent checkup confirmed her daughter is in good health.

Zhang Liyong filled in the grave he had dug for his daughter in 2017 and planted sunflowers in its place. The family still calls the spot their "magic garden" — a place that brought them luck.

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