Tam Mei-kam, Mother of Anita Mui, Dies at 102 After Choking Incident in Causeway Bay
SingTao · 16 SOURCES43 minutes ago6 MIN
Summary
Tam Mei-kam, the 102-year-old mother of late Cantopop legend Anita Mui, died on January 30 after collapsing while eating at her apartment in Causeway Bay. Emergency crews rushed her to Ruttonjee Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at approximately 11:30 am. Her estranged eldest son Kenneth Mui, who learned of the incident hours later, arrived at the hospital in the afternoon to inquire about arrangements, completing a final chapter in a family saga that dominated Hong Kong entertainment headlines for over two decades.
Key Points
- Tam collapsed at approximately 10:48 am while being fed liquid congee by an Indonesian domestic helper at her flat in Lai Hei Building, 62 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay .
- The elderly woman suffered from heart disease and hypertension, requiring regular medication and a supervised liquid diet under the care of a 31-year-old Indonesian helper .
- Kenneth Mui told reporters he had no prior knowledge of the incident, stating relatives had all lost contact and even the family's domestic worker had been dismissed .
- After receiving the news, Kenneth arrived at Ruttonjee Hospital around 3:30 pm with a woman, later accompanied by his Thai fiancée, to inquire about his mother's death arrangements .
- Tam had publicly severed ties with Kenneth in February 2022 via newspaper notice, condemning his lawsuit over the "Anita" biopic trademark as "money-obsessed" and exposing his extramarital affairs .
- Her final public appearance was a Lunar New Year video posted in February showing her in red Chinese attire wishing fans "Gong Hei Fat Choy" with characteristic vitality .
- Anita Mui died from cervical cancer on December 30, 2003, at age 40, leaving an estate then valued at HK$30-35 million managed in a trust that provided Tam with HK$70,000 monthly .
- With Tam's death, Anita's remaining trust funds will now pass to the Miu Jing Buddhist Association (妙境佛學會) as specified in Anita's will .
Why It Matters
Tam's death concludes a century-long life marked by tragedy and turbulence, including outliving three of her four children, while finalizing the legal and financial legacy of Hong Kong's beloved "Madonna of Hong Kong." Kenneth, who had publicly claimed to be estranged and controlled by others, now faces his mother's passing without apparent reconciliation, bringing closure to a family saga that generated endless tabloid headlines and multiple courtroom battles over two decades .
Tam's death concludes a century-long life marked by tragedy and turbulence, including outliving three of her four children, while finalizing the legal and financial legacy of Hong Kong's beloved "Madonna of Hong Kong." Kenneth, who had publicly claimed to be estranged and controlled by others, now faces his mother's passing without apparent reconciliation, bringing closure to a family saga that generated endless tabloid headlines and multiple courtroom battles over two decades .