A 72-year-old grandfather in China never cared about beauty trends. He didn’t follow influencers. He didn’t understand cosmetics.
But he understood something far more important — love.
When his young grandson was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic condition that weakens muscles and can become life-threatening without treatment, the family faced crushing medical expenses. The cost of therapy and long-term care was overwhelming.
Many families would have felt powerless.
He chose not to.
Instead of asking for sympathy, the elderly grandfather did something few expected: he began learning how to apply makeup. Step by step, he studied techniques, practiced carefully, and then started livestreaming his attempts online.
At first, viewers tuned in out of curiosity. An older man carefully applying foundation and eyeliner was not something people were used to seeing.
But they stayed for a different reason.
They saw sincerity. They saw determination. They saw a man who wasn’t trying to become famous — he was trying to buy time for his grandson.
The livestreams began attracting attention. Donations followed. Awareness about spinal muscular atrophy grew. Many viewers admitted they had never even heard of SMA before encountering his broadcasts.
His effort was never about cosmetics. It was about survival.
Through patience, humility, and persistence, the grandfather turned an unlikely platform into a lifeline. He used influence not for trends, not for image, but for family.
In a world driven by viral moments and polished perfection, his story stood out for one simple reason: it was real.
Sometimes love doesn’t look dramatic.
Sometimes it looks like a grandfather, holding a makeup brush, refusing to give up.