（附音效檔）Helper story mirrors film

Audio Clip -  www.zello.me/zkL(The Standard P.6   6 Dec 2012) Life imitated art when a 95-year-old retired helper died at her employer's home, in a scene reminiscent (使人聯想起) of last year's acclaimed (受到讚揚的) Andy Lau Tak-wah starrer A Simple Life.

Wong Bin was found unconscious (不省人事的) on her bed at 7.15am at her employer's 9 York Road home, which is next door to the home of former administration chief Henry Tang Ying-yen.

Her employer, Hong Kong-Taiwan Business Cooperation Committee (香港-台灣商貿合作委員會) chairman David Lie Tai-chong, called police, who immediately took Wong to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she was certified dead (證實不治) at 7.46am.

Lie, chairman of trading company Newpower Group, said Wong joined the household as a teenager and served the family for more than 40 years. Retiring at 60, she continued to live with the family and was looked after by another helper.

Originally from Shilong in Dongguan, Wong had no relatives or family of her own. "My mother employed her to take care of me and my brother," Lie said.  

The family never treated her as a servant. "She was not only a big sister of mine, but also kept a good relationship with three generations - me, my mother and my children," Lie said.

Wong had been in good health despite a fall earlier this year and Lie said "it was understood that she fully recovered."

He added: "She is remembered, we all love her."

A Simple Life, directed by Ann Hui On-wah, is about a moving relationship between Lau, the young master of a big family, and Sister Peach, the servant who raised(養育) him. The role won Deanie Ip Tak-han the best actress gong (最佳女主角獎) in Venice(威尼斯).

Candy Chan