In loving memory of Elaine Chow who committed suicide in the early hours of the 27 October 2005. Gone but never forgotten!
Elaine was a wonderful, vibrant and happy woman, who brought joy to everyone she met. Her smile could and would brighten the sunniest and dreariest of days.
Her response to my full-time job offer during her internship was “You mean, you want to
pay me to go out and eat”. Writing that here and remembering her radiant smile when she said it, has managed to bring a smile to my face – even through the massive cloak of despair that I still feel at her death.
And while tears run down my cheeks, and my heart breaks as my mind replays the images of Elaine falling to her death – so fast yet in slow motion as my brain cannot process the truth of what it sees and my legs will never be moving fast enough to reach her… The pain of those memories never seems to fade, but nor I hope will the memories of her smile and the joy she infused to all around her. RIP Elaine.
3 people a day, on average, commit suicide in Hong Kong, it’s the unseen killer, if you know someone who’s talking (even jokingly) of it get them help/talk to them. If you’re thinking of suicide, please please talk to someone first.
Samaritans Hong Kong: 2896-0000 www.samaritans.org.hk
