Sick Father Fulfils Dream of Reuniting with Long-lost Son

Uncle Lai has several children, but his son Chi Leung has been separated from the Lai family for many years, and it has always been Uncle Lai's regret that he has not been able to reunite with his son. During the pandemic, Uncle Lai’s heart condition continued to deteriorate, so his daughter Kit Wah and other siblings decided to look for Chi-Leung, in the hope that his father would be reunited with his son in his lifetime.

When Kit Wah learned about the tracing service of the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC), she immediately sought help and told the Red Cross staff in detail about her father and brother. Even though Uncle Lai was physically ill, he did a voice record telling the staff how much he had missed his son. HKRC accepted Uncle Lai's application in April 2022. During the search process, the staff managed to find some clues on the Internet. A person with the same name as Chi Leung had been a beneficiary of a social service organisation supporting cancer patients. The staff immediately contacted the organisation and confirmed that the beneficiary was Uncle Lai's son, Chi Leung.

After contacting Chi Leung, the tracing service staff learned that he did not go home to seek support and assistance from his family because he was ill and did not want to worry them. When he knew that his father was seriously ill and that his family had been thinking about him, he was overwhelmed with emotions and said that he was willing to meet his family immediately. When Chi Leung returned home, he was greeted by Uncle Lai and the family members, they had dinner and took photos to mark the unforgettable reunion moment. Kit Wah said: "Everyone was crying and very emotional, my mind was blank, it was like a lapse of a lifetime, I couldn't believe it".

“Thank God! Thanks to HKRC, our family was able to reunite with our brother and to fulfill the wish of our father while he is still alive! We hope that HKRC will bring more separated family members back together.” Kit Wah shared her feelings with the service staff.

The reunion not only restored the warmth and love among the Lai family, but also reinforced the family’s belief in the importance of family and the power of mutual support. The Community Chest has been supporting the tracing service of the Hong Kong Red Cross since 1991, and will continue to help more families to reunite with their separated family members.