For many of us, the idea of becoming a widow is one of the scariest possibilities that life could offer — especially if you have children. But unfortunately, sometimes it happens. And for the wife of Li Wenliang, at least she knows her husband died a hero.
Li Wenliang was a practicing doctor who realized a new dangerous disease was spreading. Back in December, he tried his hardest to warn his colleagues about what to expect. He knew that this was a virus that could take many lives and put the world in danger. He did this before the government said a word about the virus or warned the public about what might be in store. In fact, government officials had yet to even acknowledge it as a threat.
According to People magazine, Li was told to keep quiet about the rapidly spreading disease. The government didn't want to scare the community or cause a panic, despite the fact that this was something worth panicking over.
But that didn't stop Li. He was even detained for being one of the "rumormongers," even though he was just trying to make Wuhan a safer place. Unfortunately, Li was one of the many individuals who caught the coronavirus. He was also one of the many who died from it.
If people listened to him back then, we all would have had more time to prepare. And he might still be alive today. If he was, he would have been able to meet his son, who is his second child.
Li's widow is named Fu Xuejie. Losing a spouse while pregnant is very hard, so it's hard to imagine how Fu is feeling. However, she posted a message on WeChat that's enough to make anyone emotional. WeChat is a social media app that is one of the more popular platforms in China.
"Husband, are you watching from heaven? The last gift you sent to me has been born," she wrote, per People. "I will definitely take care of him well." She'll definitely have a lot of stories to pass on about how his father tried so hard to take care of others.
Li was officially diagnosed with COVID-19 on February 1. While sick, he posted on social media about how he planned to get better and join the fight against the virus once again. However, he — like many individuals who've caught it — became powerless. He died on February 7.
"I've seen the support and encouragement so many people online have given me," he wrote on an app called Weibo. "It makes me feel a little more relaxed in my heart." Li didn't live to see how much the virus that he tried hard to warn people about would destroy other parts of the world.
People writes that so far, the virus has caused 2 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States. Approximately 114,662 deaths in the US have been attributed to the virus. And since it's still so new, we're learning more about it every day. In total, there have been 7.5 million cases worldwide. Despite the US starting to open up again, the virus isn't even close to being eradicated.
We all still have a long way to go. And it's important to listen to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as our local government to continue working to halt the spread of the virus and prevent more loss of life. It's also important to make sure you get the word out if you see a friend or family member who may be putting themselves in danger.
According to CNN, Weibo is actually heavily moderated, and many of Li's supporters who learned of his death were silenced when they tried to spread his message further. Trending topics eventually included subjects such as "Wuhan government owes Dr. Li Wenliang an apology," and "We want freedom of speech."
News of his death angered many, especially since it seems like the hospital he was at wasn't very forthcoming with the news. "Countless young people will mature overnight after today: the world is not as beautiful as we imagined," one post read, per CNN. "Are you angry? If any of us here is fortunate enough to speak up for the public in the future, please make sure you remember tonight's anger."
This, alone, is one of the many reasons why all voices should be heard. If his government had taken him seriously, more would have been informed about how potentially deadly and contagious this virus is. Now two children are left without a father.
Government-controlled news outlets in China even reportedly tried to hide the news of Li's death. The Global Times was the first to announce it, but the outlet let the news slip out at 10:40 p.m. — when many citizens would be asleep. However, many commenters were awake to figure out what happened. "You think we've all gone to sleep? No. We haven't," one of them wrote.
After that, news of his death was pulled from the internet. People had no clue if the news was a hoax or what was going on. Wuhan Central Hospital was the source that made the news official the next day. Obviously, Li did everything he could to try to warn Wuhan about his worries, and it seems as if the general population appreciated that.
"Our hospital's ophthalmologist Li Wenliang was unfortunately infected with coronavirus during his work in the fight against the coronavirus epidemic," the official statement read. "He died at 2:58 am on Feb 7 after attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful."
The news caused Li's wife Fu some physical complications. Due to grief, she was reportedly hospitalized due to low blood pressure and bleeding. Luckily, her son arrived safe, and Fu is feeling better as well. However, this is a tragedy that will last a lifetime.
Hopefully, Fu knows how beloved her husband was — and how big of a heart he had. And it's important to note that Li was only 33 when he died, proving that age isn't necessarily a barrier for protection. So many people are losing loved ones, which is why it's important to take this seriously.
Always check with your health care provider concerning any symptoms you may be experiencing, and seek the most accurate information from the CDC and your state’s health department.
