Singer Coco Lee’s fight for her mental and physical well-being (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — The late Hong Kong-American singer Coco Lee braved a tough fight against mental and physical health issues before her death.
In an announcement on Instagram from her sisters Carol and Nancy Lee yesterday, the 48-year-old died despite the best efforts of the hospital team to save her from a coma.
Coco’s family said that she attempted to take her own life at her home on Sunday before being sent to the hospital.
According to the post, Coco had been seeking professional help against depression ‘for a few years’ but her condition ‘deteriorated’ over the last few months.
On New Year's Eve 2022, the singer shared on Instagram that she would be carrying ‘love and faith’ throughout the rest of 2023 despite suffering from major health problems.
The post contained nine photos, one of them featuring a surgery drainage bag and another of her 42 kilogramme bodyweight at the time which sparked health concerns from her fans online.
In February, the singer underwent major surgery on her pelvis and thigh that affected her walking and caused her discomfort and pain.
She was born with a defect on her left leg and had a failed surgery when she was two, which resulted in lower body issues she struggled with her entire life.
Her leg defect worsened after she over-exerted herself during a dance rehearsal last October, according to The Sun.
Coco shared an update on her condition to her fans in March in a Facebook video showing her before and after the surgery.
The video chronicled her 12-day recovery process as she walked slowly with a walker and assistance from a nurse, her left leg covered in large plasters.
Coco was visibly steadfast in the video, always assuring herself and her fans that she would be able to heal from the surgery.
According to Nancy, Coco was to take a break from music as she needed ‘at least six months’ to fully recover.
Coco was one of the pioneering pop stars from Hong Kong that emerged in the United States, most known for being the Mandarin voice actress of Fa Mulan in Disney’s 1998 animated film Mulan.
The singer performed A Love Before Time from the 2000 martial arts epic film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at the 2001 Oscar Awards.
On top of numerous international acclaim, she was a top-selling artist in China and Hong Kong and was known as an outstanding performer on stage.
2023 will mark the 30th anniversary of Coco’s singing career.
* If you are lonely, distressed, or having negative thoughts, Befrienders offers free and confidential support 24 hours a day. A full list of Befrienders contact numbers and state operating hours is available here: www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia. There are also free hotlines for young people. Talian Kasih at 15999 (24/7); and Talian BuddyBear at 1800-18-2327(BEAR)(daily 12pm-12am).
