Driven by ‘deep love’: China family’s 3,500km drive for son’s university marks life milestone

A family embarked on a remarkable 3,500km journey from eastern China to the northwestern region of the country to help their son commence his university life, garnering significant attention online and receiving a wealth of good wishes.

The boy graduated from high school in Zaozhuang, Shandong province, this summer before being accepted at Xinjiang Second Medical College in Karamay, a prominent city in Xinjiang.

His father, surnamed Geng, opted to drive his family in their seven-seater MPV to take the boy to medical school, which is situated 3,500km from their hometown of Zaozhuang.

According to a report from the news portal The Cover, the trip involved six family members. In addition to the boy and his parents, his older sister, her husband, and the boy’s grandfather, who is in his 80s, were also aboard.

They set off on August 20 and reached the university four days later.

To make their journey memorable, the father spray-painted the vehicle’s back window, displaying Chinese characters that read, “Sending son to university; Zaozhuang of Shandong to Karamay of Xinjiang.”