Hong Kong singer and actor Leslie Cheung passed away at the age of 46 on Apr. 1, 2003.
He had suffered from depression and committed suicide, shocking fans all across Asia.
17 years on, Cheung, dubbed as one of the founding fathers of Cantopop, continues to live on in his boyfriend, Daffy Tong.
Always on his mind
On Apr. 1, Tong uploaded a picture of him and Cheung standing under an umbrella onto Instagram.
In the caption, he wrote:
“You left us 17 years ago. I know that you’re missing us from another place, and cheering us on during this difficult time. I hope everyone can come together and press on, to overcome this pandemic.”
Since the late star’s passing, Tong has uploaded photos of them on Instagram during birthdays and holidays.
This was posted on last year’s Christmas eve:
And this was posted on what would have been Cheung’s 62nd birthday.
The couple’s relationship
In 1997, Cheung’s relationship with Tong was brought to light after a paparazzi took a photo of them holding hands.
In the same year, he dedicated a love song at a concert to the two “loves of his life”, his mother and Tong.
The couple, who were childhood friends, had been in a relationship for more than 20 years until Cheung’s passing.
Online memorial by fans
His legacy has been remembered by fans all over Asia who have hosted memorial gatherings in his honour.
However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the usual gatherings have been cancelled, with these events going online instead.
Helplines
SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1800-221-4444
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (for primary school-aged children)
Top image from Daffy Tong’s Instagram.
