Father Who Danced in Subway to Save Dying Daughter Mourns Her Death

Hou Jian, the father who was seen dancing clumsily but tirelessly in an underpass to raise funds for his cancer-stricken daughter, announced on social media on April 26 that his daughter, Hou Xinyue, had passed away after a fierce battle with neuroblastoma.

"We welcomed you with joy, but now we have to say goodbye in sorrow," Hou Jian wrote. "It feels like a dream. When the dream ended, you were gone. You came for a short while, but Mom and Dad will miss you for a lifetime. My baby, you suffered so much. We let down the thousands of kind people who cared for you. We're so sorry. So, so sorry."

Six-year-old Hou Xinyue and her family are from Wulong District in Chongqing. During the summer of 2024, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma — a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer often called "the children's cancer king" due to its low cure rate and astronomically high treatment costs.

By July 2024, the tumor in Hou Xinyue's body had grown to over 18 centimeters in diameter. It had ruptured, leading to multiple surgeries, more than 20 rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, and countless blood transfusions.

Desperate to save her, Hou Jian began livestreaming himself dancing clumsily in a local underpass, hoping donations would pour in. His heartfelt moves — each one a prayer for his daughter's survival — moved millions online.

According to media reports from 2025, an outpouring of support followed. Hou Jian later said that the family had spent more than 200,000 yuan (US$29,293) on treatment, nearly half of which came from the kindness of strangers.

On April 26, Hou Jian wrote on social media that Hou Xinyue had passed away at 11:50am. The post brought countless netizens to tears.

Hou Jian posted a thank-you letter to all the donors and well-wishers yesterday.

"Now that Xinyue is gone," he wrote, "we will forever hold in our hearts this painful yet deeply warm journey. We want to say to every kind person who helped Xinyue: Thank you. We will never forget your grace for the rest of our lives."