Coco Lee's mum, a TCM physician, tried acupuncture in desperate attempt to save her

Coco Lee's mother attempted acupuncture on her even as doctors declared that she was brain dead.

In an interview with Hong Kong publication Ming Pao Weekly yesterday (July 6), Coco's sister Nancy said that their mother, who is 86 years old and a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner, refused to give up on her daughter. She stood by Coco's bed in the hospital to watch over her and refused to sit down.

She said: "Our mum hoped to make the last effort, even as the doctors said that Coco's brain cells were dead. She refused to give up and attempted acupuncture at the top of Coco's head."

According to HealthCMI, the acupoint at the top of the head is called "Baihui", which literally translates to "hundred meetings" and is used to improve blood flow and treat disorders relating to head and brain.

Earlier reports mentioned that Coco took her life in her elder sister Carol's home in Hong Kong on July 2. A domestic helper called the police for help after she saw Coco rushing out of the bathroom and bleeding.

The 48-year-old singer was reportedly in a coma when she was rushed to Queen Mary Hospital for emergency treatment.

It was also reported that a blood-stained nail clipper was found next to the sink in the bathroom. Coco died on July 5.

In a separate interview with Hong Kong publication ST Headlines yesterday, Nancy said that their mother's condition is poor currently and she refused to eat or sleep, which made them very worried.

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She also hopes that the public do not speculate on the cause of Coco's death while they wait for results from the forensic doctor, clarifying that it was not by slitting her wrist.

Nancy added that she has always thought of Coco as someone who was very strong emotionally and that she looked up to her estranged husband, Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz, as a father figure.

She said: "People who knew my sister well knew that she was very persistent in her relationship. My sister had always been very simple.

"Because she didn't have a father, she projected an image of her father to her husband who is 16 years older. To her, Bruce was a good father who was very good to his daughters. But her husband was not her father. My younger sister had everything and lacked nothing so she was more emotionally attached.

"She said that because she had never had a father, she really wanted to have one. But her husband couldn't be her father, so problems arose when she couldn't let it go."

Based on reports, Coco's family plan to hold fan memorial services next month in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong to allow Coco's fans to bid farewell to her.

ALSO READ: Coco Lee was secretly battling cancer before her death

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com