China girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’ for support, offers him US$140 after job loss

January 13, 2026byVerified News Online

AdvertisementTrending in China People & Culture Trending in ChinaChina girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’ for support, offers him US$140 after job loss

Youngster says she was left ‘shivering in the wind’ after death of father; love from uncle saved her from the darkness

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A 12-year-old Chinese girl has written a touching essay expressing gratitude to her uncle, or “second father”, following the death of her real dad. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Fran Luin BeijingPublished: 2:00pm, 13 Jan 2026

A heartfelt essay by a 12-year-old girl to the uncle who adopted her after her father died has moved many people online.

The essay, titled “My Second Father”, went viral after her uncle, Wei Yi, read it on his social media account.

Wei, 33, and his wife, surnamed Lu, adopted Lu’s niece Jia Jia after her father died from liver cancer in 2024.

Jia Jia’s uncle, Wei Yi, above, could not hold back his tears while reading her essay. Photo: QQ.com

Jia Jia’s mother is disabled and could not look after her well. Lu’s mother, Jia Jia’s grandmother, was also not in good health, prompting the couple to make the decision.

They also wanted to bring Jia Jia from their less developed hometown in northern China’s Shandong province to the first-tier city of Shenzhen where they live.

The couple spent months going through meticulous procedures to adopt Jia Jia legally.

They also moved with their toddler son closer to Jia Jia’s new school in Shenzhen.

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