Man Hing Kwok

Endless Brotherhood

On the first day of 2024, I received a wake-up call from Uncle Joseph. Bad news from Chicago! My brother, William, got a stroke at home. He was on the way to the University of Chicago Medical Center. The adverse weather condition precluded the transport by helicopter. He was then rushed to the hospital by ambulance. He underwent emergency clot evacuation procedure. Unfortunately, there were excessive clots in his brain arteries which could not be cleared completely. He was tested positive for COVID on admission.

COVID infection was associated with increased risk of blood clots in brain arteries. His blood sugar level was also sky high due to the infection and his underlying medical condition. He was suffering from severe brain edema and irreversible brain damage. His condition was further complicated by serious chest infection and acute heart failure. His situation ran a rapid downhill course. He eventually succumbed to the critical illness in the afternoon on 3 Jan at the age of 58.

Dying young is so sad. The tragedy hits us hard. I just cannot believe that it is real.

Since William and I lived in different parts of the world and we were both busy in our profession and family, we had not been able to care for each other as much as we would like to. Like any boy’s life, we fought and laughed together when young. Afterall, we were raised under the same roof. We played basketball, badminton, cycling, BB guns, etc. together. Those were the days! Simple but happy childhood. Sometimes we might just watch some cheap movies together at our ‘Cinema Paradiso’ nearby during the boring summer holidays.

William chose to pursue his studies in the US at the age of 19. I still remember he called back home on the first day of arrival at his dormitory, worrying about school bullying. Thank God that he met a very nice roommate who helped him a lot to adapt to his school life.

William worked very hard. He graduated from Ohio State University with a Pharmacy degree and then worked in Chicagoland as a Pharmacist for some 30 years. His American dream came true. He married to Judy Au in 1991 and had 2 kids, Tammy and Timothy.

Being a conscientious father is tough these days. Stress from work and family matters can be overwhelming sometimes. Most people simply forgot to take good care of their own health.

William believed in Jesus and often prayed for his family members. He once told me that he still got a lot of words to say to our late father.

‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…’ Timothy 4:7-8

William is now free from suffering and he is probably chatting with Dad in heaven. I believe they will keep watching and protecting all of us from heaven. Some day we shall meet up again under the Rainbow.

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ Matthew 11:28

Loving Brother, Vincent

6 Jan 2024

念·萬慶

手足情未了 2024 年元旦早上，收到舅父芝加哥的來電，告知哥哥突然在家裏中風，正轉 送到芝加哥大學醫院深切治療。因當地天氣不適宜直升機運送，救護車好不容易把 萬慶送到了芝加哥大學醫院進行緊急血栓移除手術。可惜血栓太多，不能完全清除。 入院時證實他感染了新冠病毒，新冠病毒可以引起血栓併發症。萬慶本身患有「三 高」，入院時血糖超標逾倍。腦部水腫及損害嚴重，已到了不能逆轉的地步。情況 急轉直下，繼而出現肺炎及心臟衰竭等併發症。最後萬慶不敵病魔，並於芝加哥時 間1 月3 日下午與世長辭，終年58 歲。 人常道：「老年人去世也許是一種解脫，壯年人逝世，卻是一種可惜。」人生 無常，萬慶原本打算今年三月回港探望我們⋯⋯真的太突然了，一下子不能接受這 個事實。 我和萬慶的感情不算得很要好。畢竟大家各有各忙。小時候跟很多男孩子一樣， 打架和爭玩具，大家卻是一起在同一屋簷下成長的兄弟。我們一起去打籃球、打羽 毛球、踏單車、玩氣槍……那些年生活很簡單，也許簡單就是幸福。從前放暑假很 無聊，我們便會去美孚影都戲院睇「兩蚊」早場。 萬慶19 歲便負笈美國求學。還記得他第一天到宿舍時致電回家，說感到徬徨 無助，因為害怕室友會欺凌他。感謝神，他遇到一位很友善的室友，並幫助和支持 他適應新的環境。 經過了一番努力，萬慶當上了藥劑師，並在美國落地生根，育有女兒「天美」 及兒子「天發」。這個年頭當父親絕不容易，工作及家庭壓力很大，往往疲於奔命， 卻忽略了照顧自身的健康。 萬慶生前表示相信耶穌的救恩及經常禱告。他曾經對我說，還有很多說話未曾 跟逝世的父親講。 「那美好的仗我已經打過了，該跑的路程，我已經跑盡了，當守的信仰，我已 經持守了⋯⋯」(提摩太後書4:7-8） 萬慶現在不再辛勞了，可以跟爸爸在天家促膝長談。我相信爸爸和哥哥會在天 家守望在地上的家人。某天我們定會在彩虹下再相聚。 「凡勞苦擔重擔的人，可以到我這裏來，我就使你們得安息。」(馬太福音 11:28-30）

弟 安慶

2024 年1 月6 日