Elderly Chinese woman tearfully hugs pet duck killed by car, mourns loss of companion
Many recognise that the duck had become the woman’s emotional anchor and spiritual support
An elderly woman in eastern China was seen in tears, mourning her pet duck on the street after it was killed in a road accident.
A video of the woman crying over her deceased duck on the street in Jiangsu province, posted by a neighbour on November 4, went viral.
According to the neighbour, surnamed Chen, the elderly woman had kept the duck as her beloved pet for the past four years after her husband was diagnosed with oesophageal and stomach cancers.
Chen mentioned that the woman kept the duck superstitiously, believing it would bless her husband. Each time her husband went to the hospital for chemotherapy, she would ask the duck if he would be alright, and the duck would solemnly nod its head. Remarkably, her husband’s chemotherapy treatment turned out to be effective.
They also have a son, whose family situation is not very good, according to the neighbour. Whenever the woman felt upset, she would talk to the duck.
The bond between the woman and the duck grew inseparable. Initially, some neighbours rejected the presence of the duck, complaining that it made the residential compound dirty.
However, as the story of the duck circulated, and as the woman diligently cleaned up after it, the neighbours grew accustomed to the duck as part of the family’s life.