Pedro (Peter) was born in the town of Jiujiang, in Guangdong, China. He was the oldest son of parents Francisco Sui Kong and Maria Sau Wah. He had two younger siblings named Agnes and Aloysius. His family fled to Macau when he was young to avoid the takeover of imperial Japanese soldiers during World War II. He continued his schooling in Macau and learned how to play the saxophone, which he enjoyed very much. Within a few years, Pedro’s father became ill and died in 1942. Being the oldest son, he had to provide for the family while finishing up high school. After the war ended, the family moved to Hong Kong where he worked at an accounting firm to make ends meet. Soon afterwards, his two granduncles presented him with an opportunity to live and work in Cuba. So in 1947, at the tender age of 19, Pedro made the move to Cuba, learned Spanish and worked diligently to provide support for his family back in Hong Kong. He saved enough money to open and operate a small grocery store.
It was in Cuba where he met and fell in love with his future wife, Sui Wah Li. They got married on June 11, 1955 in St. Anthony’s Church. To their delight, their only child, Augusto Lou, was born on May 29, 1956. Pedro was a smart and good businessman. The family was very happy with the success of their business. However, when Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Pedro knew that his family’s future would be in jeopardy. Pedro led his family and his wife’s family out of Cuba in 1960 and ultimately ended up in New York. Everything that he established and earned was lost. Pedro had to start all over again. He was a quick learner and was diligent in everything he did.
Before engaging in his passion for real estate, Pedro and his wife opened a Chinese restaurant called Ming Ming in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. They sold their restaurant and started getting into real estate. He purchased a mixed-use building in Chinatown where he opened a cigarette and candy shop on the ground floor and collected rent from the tenants residing above. He realized that residential real estate was not for him. It was then that he decided to sell the building and invest in commercial real estate.
Sadly, around the same time, his son Augusto passed away unexpectedly in 1983. Their time together was just too short. After the devastating loss of his only child, Pedro continued to be strong for his wife. They established the Augusto Lou Memorial Foundation in memory of their son. Pedro was not only passionate about building his business, but he also played an active role in building people’s future. Pedro and his wife always remembered the challenges that they experienced and wanted to help those in need. Throughout the years, both of them practiced the art of philanthropy to help create a better world because they believed that the people they generously provided to will pay it forward and the cycle of goodness will continue to propel others to do good.
Even after his wife’s death in 2016, he continued their legacy of giving and helping others. He found true fortune in helping people rather than valuing material things. He was a loving man with the biggest heart. He was also a caring son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, son-in-law, brother-in-law, nephew, uncle, neighbor, and friend. Pedro’s impact on this world will remain and continue to bear fruit in the seeds he planted in others. His infectious smile, generosity and kind-heartedness are felt every day in so many lives that he has helped and changed.
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