Facing the No. 5 fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, members of the entertainment industry, regardless of region or distance, have generously contributed funds and efforts, offering sincere prayers. On various stages and occasions, they have conveyed grief through song and connected through empathy, bringing warmth and blessings to the disaster victims. These countless points of light converge into a river, with the hope that the gloom will soon dissipate.
British singer Dan James, who rose to fame from Midlife, Sing & Shine! 3, has been developing his career and life in Hong Kong in recent years. Deeply feeling the strong sense of camaraderie among Hong Kong people, he was particularly moved after the fire.
James, who visited a flat area near the disaster site in Tai Po to lay flowers the day before yesterday (Nov. 30), said in an exclusive interview with Wen Wei Po that he's been watching the news these past few days, which was "really heartbreaking."
"I understand how they [the victims] must feel. I really wanted to support them and help, so I went to Tai Po to lay flowers. I brought a sign that said, 'Just want to give you a hug,' because I don't speak Cantonese well and couldn't chat with the victims. The only thing I could do was offer them a hug."
Moved by the Spirit of Lion Rock
James also witnessed the strength of the Lion Rock Spirit.
"I think Hong Kong people are very loving, very selfless, and very organized in delivering supplies to help. Hong Kong people are also very generous; besides many large organizations, many ordinary people are also donating money. When I was laying flowers, I queued for over three hours, but I saw that everyone was very orderly. Having lived abroad for so long, I've never seen a scene like this."
According to James, Hong Kong is also "very efficient." In Tai Po, he saw victims moving to temporary housing, volunteers helping to assemble beds and prepare furniture for them to move in.
Hong Kong artists working mainland remain concerned for home
Many Hong Kong artists, even while working in the Mainland, still have their hearts in Hong Kong. The duo Fama and fortune teller Mak Ling-ling held a concert in Jiangmen the night before last, with Ron Ng making a guest appearance. Fama said that due to the Tai Po fire, their feelings were inevitably unsettled, but they would still give their all, hoping to bring positive energy to everyone. They also announced that all proceeds from that concert would be donated, regardless of costs, to support those affected by the disaster.
"I think everyone knows about the fire in the Tai Po area. I believe everyone feels heartache and distress. I hereby wish everyone safety," Ng said emotionally.
Heartbroken Wong Cho-lam
Wong Cho-lam was recording the program Duets in Beijing the day before yesterday. He choked up while speaking at the recording, "The place where the fire happened is near my home. Everyone who sees those scenes will feel heartache. But seeing everyone unite and work together to help also gives us the strength to move forward in difficult times. I hope we can continue to unite and overcome this hardship together."
The host and judges hugged Wong to give him relief. Wong took a long time to recover, was still deeply worried about the victims of the fire, and kept wiping away tears afterwards.
Janice Vidal, who performed in Dongguan recently, also kept the victims in her heart while on stage.
"A very serious disaster happened in Hong Kong. I don't know how to express it in words, but after experiencing this event, I discovered so much love. I saw many people in the community standing together, offering care and help to those in need. This touched me deeply, making me feel that when we encounter disasters or tragedies, the most important thing is each other's love and support. I hope to use my singing to convey love and comfort."
Natalis Chan's self-formed "All-Star Soccer Team" recently went to Chengdu. It is reported that the team withdrew from the competition early, before it ended. Afterwards, team members, including Benny Chan, Nathan Chan, Wilson Lam, Bennett Pang, Wong Jing, Wilfred Lau, Oscar Leung, Eddie Ng, and over ten other artists, uniformly wore white down jackets and black trousers, standing solemnly in silent tribute to the victims.
Natalis Chan said tearfully, "I hope every one of us does our part to help friends in hardship. May the deceased rest in peace, the injured recover quickly, and all friends accept our condolences. Let us observe a minute of silence."
Felix Wong shared a photo on social media of the Village Super League football field in Rongjiang, Guizhou. The picture showed a crowd of compatriots donating to the victims of Wang Fuk Court who lost their homes. Felix Wong sincerely thanked them: "We are all Chinese. This is the sentiment of blood being thicker than water among Chinese people. I am truly very grateful to you all."
"Let the past be past"
The kindness from the entertainment industry never stops. Aaron Kwok donated HK$1 million to Po Leung Kuk for disaster relief. The Wai Yin Association, established by former Miss Hong Kong winners, also stands together with Hong Kong. Among them, three former Miss Hong Kong winners, Angie Chiu, Monica Chan, and Mandy Cho, collectively donated HK$700,000. The band Supper Moment felt deep sorrow for the affected residents and also hoped to contribute modestly, donating HK$300,000 to recognized fundraising platforms to support the victims of Wang Fuk Court and their families.
Terence Lam made good use of his musical talent, using his new song to encourage the victims of Wang Fuk Court to cheer up. He posted a black-and-white photo on social media with the message: "I've been quietly following the news about the fire these past few days. Everything is very hard. It's very sad. I remembered I should use the language of music to help. This is the feeling after phone calls with several fan friends living in Wang Fuk Court. For us, 'let the past be past.'"
"May all the deceased rest in peace, the injured recover soon, and the affected residents rebuild their homes as quickly as possible."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Zitang, Liang Jingyi; English Editor: Darius)
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