On the evening of 26/7, 31-year-old Ma and his girlfriend were driving on a highway in Shandong Province when a truck with a blown tire flipped over and landed on their car. "I slammed on the brakes instinctively as the airbags deployed, covering the windshield," Ma recounted. "For a few seconds, I couldn't see anything and just braced for the worst."

The impact crushed the front and rear of Ma's car, leaving only the passenger compartment relatively intact. Luckily, both Ma, who was driving, and his girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat, escaped with minor scratches.

Ma's car was crushed after being hit by a truck. Photo: Worldjournal

Ma's car was crushed after being hit by a truck. Photo: Worldjournal

Rescue workers and police arrived 10 minutes later. All three people involved, including the truck driver, sustained only minor injuries.

Back at their hotel that night, Ma turned to his girlfriend and asked, "Should we get married?" She immediately agreed.

They initially planned to register their marriage in Tai'an (Shandong), but having just experienced the crash, they decided to return to their hometown in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. Three days later, they officially became husband and wife.

Ma shared their story on social media, where it quickly went viral on Weibo, trending under the headline "Couple escapes death, then gets married." Many offered congratulations, and some joked that the car manufacturer should give him a new car.

"Insurance will cover the car," Ma said, "escaping death is all I care about."

Ma has over 10 years of driving experience. Their trip that day was the final leg of a road trip from Shanxi to Shandong. "We always wear our seatbelts, and that habit saved our lives," he shared.

Ma and his girlfriend received their marriage certificate three days after the accident. Photo: Worldjournal

Ma and his girlfriend received their marriage certificate three days after the accident. Photo: Worldjournal

Ma and his girlfriend have been dating for over a year after being introduced by relatives. They hadn’t made definite wedding plans due to their busy schedules. "But after that near-death experience, we realized the value of life and decided to face the future together," he said.

The couple has returned to their normal routine and is now preparing for their wedding ceremony.

Bao Nhien (Worldjournal)