Farewell to a Legendary Mother
Just two days after Aaron Kwok bid his mother “goodbye” at a funeral on March 5, Hollywood‑style star Chow Yun‑Fat stepped into the spotlight to honor his own mom, Chan Lai Fong, who left us at 98 on February 13.
The Quiet Goodbye
Chow’s wife, the Singaporean Jasmine Tan, told Apple Daily that the 98‑year‑old passed away peacefully after an early dinner. Her domestic helper rang the couple when no heartbeat was detected. Chow himself was calm, having been mentally prepared for the loss.
- During last December’s thin‑blood‑pressure checkup, Chan had been hospitalised for common age‑related ailments.
- Chow visited her in the ward, explaining that she must take liquid food due to her frailty, and noting that the family hoped for her “sweet” discharge if she could gulp porridge.
- Despite her age, Chan had moments of clarity, even telling her son, “Go back home.”
Keeping It Low‑Key
In line with Chan’s wishes – she’d once begged her children to stay humble and service‑oriented – Chow kept the funeral small. He invited only close family, deliberately excluding Hollywood elites and the broader entertainment crowd. “I don’t want an extravagant procession,” he clarified; the mother who’d once won an Outstanding Mother award in 2008 would’ve found it patronizing.
Chow’s ashes, alongside those of his father, will rest at Lamma Island, the family’s seaside haven. The loss comes on heels of a second funeral in the year: her 70‑year‑old Uncle in Singapore passed away of a heart attack on February 19.
A Mother of Many Stories
Chan married Chow’s father when she was 17 and raised four children almost single‑handedly while he worked aboard a tanker, frequently out at sea.
Chow is the third of her children; his elder sister, Chow Chung Ling, is a well‑known photographer in Hong Kong.
Though the divorce of his father never stopped her from cheering him on, Chan watched every film of her son and was proud of his rise to fame. From the Better Tomorrow trilogy to God of Gamblers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Chow’s legacy is unforgettable.
He previously shared the silver screen with Aaron Kwok in Project Gutenberg, earning a Best Actor nod at the 2019 Hong Kong Film Awards. The star’s next venture is the film Be Water, My Friend.
— shared by the Straits Times, with permission for reproduction.
