People

Exhausted but not defeated:
Man-hon's mum keeps up 7-year search

“He is my son…he must be suffering more than I am. I feel guilty. I am a sinner. I was already sorry for not giving him a healthy body,” she said in tears, holding her fist. She said she should be the first one to blame for what had happened.

It is the support from both Mrs Yu’s family and neighbours that keeps her spirit up.

The mother said her 20-year-old younger son once told her: “Mum, I can take care of myself now. You can just go and look for my big brother.” Mrs Yu’s husband, an estate assistant of Housing Department, accompanies her to the parks and shopping malls whenever he is on holiday. Mrs Yu said her neighbours also showed a lot of care about her situation.

She said she was especially grateful to the support from strangers. One of the encounters was at a fast food shop where a little girl gave her a cup of water.

“She told me not to give up…Even a young girl encouraged me to go on, so I shall not cease looking for Man-hon,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said many Hong Kong people still recognised her and sent her supportive messages during festivals.

Mrs Yu still keeps Man-hon’s belongings neatly in a box: his homework, drawings, schoolbag and CDs for music therapy.

The reminiscence of items brought a smile on Mrs Yu’s face as she checked them out one by one during the interview.

The parents’ love for Man-hon can also be found in other parts of their house.
A map of China is pinned on the wall in the living room. A list of provinces’ district codes and Man-hon’s portrait are placed adjacent to the map. They have assisted Mrs Yu throughout the years of search.

Man-hon’s parents have also put up notes to their son in the living room.
On one of them written by Mrs Yu reads: “Man-hon, where are you? Mum misses you very much. My dearest son, you need to be tough! Learn to take care of yourself, and tell others to bring you home. We all hope that you can come home soon. Let’s live together forever. Come back soon!”

“I really wish that miracles would happen and Man-hon would come back in good shape one day,” she said.

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