Orphaned after playing dead

Natalie Wong


Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Fifteen-year-old Tracey Wong Cheuk- yiu survived the Manila tour-bus massacre by playing dead on the floor as the crazed gunman opened up.

Last night she was recovering with minor foot injuries - but her parents and aunt were slain.

Wong told reporters from her hospital bed: "I hid under a chair. Police threw in tear gas and many people could hardly breath."

She learned later in the day that her father Wong Tze-lam, 51, and mother Yeung Yee-wa, 44, along with aunt Yeung Yee-kam, 46, were killed.

Her brother Jason Wong Ching-nat, 12, was among those released by the gunman before the carnage started.

Wong worked as an operation station officer with the MTR for more than 20 years. The company will pay his family a death gratuity equivalent to 52 months' salary.

The Wong tragedy unfolded as other heartbreaking stories emerged from the bloodshed.

Yik Siu-ling, 32, is in serious condition in Philippines General Hospital after she was shot in the lower jaw and lost two fingers.

She apparently used her hand to shield her face when struck by the bullet.

Yik's husband, Joe Chan Kwok- chu, 46, has gunshot wounds to the stomach and head. He is in stable condition.

Fu Cheuk-yan, 30, was killed, but his 40-year-old wife Tsang Yee-lai was released with her two children on Monday afternoon.
Tsang is a nurse at the Kowloon Hospital, which has promised her every help.

Lo Kam Fun, 66, and her daughter Lee Ying Chuen, 33, were both slightly injured during the siege.

Tour leader Masa Tse Ting-chunn, 31, was killed about one hour after he was handcuffed by the gunman to the exit of the coach.

Tse had alerted Hong Thai in Hong Kong of the hijacking using his cell phone. The gunman later used Tse to shield him during negotiations with police.

Tse, who is single, joined Hong Tai as a part-time tour leader five years ago.

More than 4,000 people went online to pay him tribute. A netizen named Shantal wrote: "You're the hero of Hong Kong. We're proud of you."

The Hong Kong Travel Industry (Outbound) Tour Escort and Tour Guide Union issued a statement saying: "He was a professional escort assisting tourists till the last moment in the tragic event."