The story of Hong Kong actress Bella Lam's poverty-stricken childhood is gaining a lot of attention in the media.
Years ago, Lam was a child actress who, along with her mother, appeared on a documentary highlighting the plight of her family.
Lam's father walked out on the family not long after she was born.
Her mother fought back tears as she told the story: "He met another woman and fell in love with her. I tried everything I could to save the marriage. I waited for him, I made soups for him but he insisted on moving out."
The actress was only one when her father left. She also has an older sister who was nine then.
Her mother continued: "I waited for him to come back. I tried looking for him to get him to help out with our living expenses but I couldn't find him. So I had no choice but to carry her on my back and go to the streets to beg for money."
Mother and daughter would beg on a pedestrian bridge every day from 9pm to midnight.
"We only stopped begging when it's raining. I had no choice because I had no money to buy baby formula, to pay rent and she was always ill at the time."
That difficult period in their lives lasted nine months. The dark clouds finally lifted when someone recommended they applied for government aid.
"I'm very happy today. My two daughters alone have given me so much joy. I don't need a man," Lam's mother said in the documentary, shot a few years after the ordeal.
The documentary first aired 18 years ago and has recently gone viral.
Lam, now 28 and recently starred in Armed Reaction 2021, told Oriental Daily News (translation via 38jiejie.com) she was surprised that the story has resurfaced:
"These are all part of my experience growing up. I'm very grateful for having my mother by my side and a lot of people who love me.
"I will work hard and not disappoint my mother, who had to suffer so much to raise me."
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