Hong Kong education chief opens up about eldest son’s suicide, vows to support youth
Christine Choi says incident left ‘big hole in her heart’, but religion, reading, and family and friends helped her to cope with son’s death
Hong Kong’s education chief has shared her experiences following the tragic death of her eldest son by suicide seven years ago, while pledging to support students grappling with mental health issues.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Sunday that the incident left “a big hole in her heart” and that religion, reading, and family and friends had helped her to cope with the loss of her son.
“When I am obsessed with looking at what I have lost, I tell myself that I am actually thankful that I have had some 20 years of enjoyable time with him,” she told a radio programme.
The minister said she opted not to bury her head about the incident, adding that books by other people experiencing similar losses had helped make her mentally stronger.
Asked what she would tell her son now, she replied: “He actually asked me what I would do if something happened to him. I told him I wouldn’t forgive him, to scare him … But I later told him to rest assured. I am fine now.”
Choi said that despite their busy schedules, her family made an effort to spend quality time together as they had realised that life was precious.
Choi’s eldest son, Poon Hong-yan, had a history of depression before his death at the Sorrento housing estate in Yau Ma Tei in 2017.
