'Please give her a chance': Coco Lee's sister said mum refused to remove life support in hospital

Pop diva Coco Lee reportedly did not have suicidal tendencies before she took her life on July 2.

According to reports by Hong Kong media, the 48-year-old had been staying with her elder sister Carol in Hong Kong since she was discharged from hospital last month due to physical discomfort. That day, she had lunch with her mother and Carol at the latter's apartment and took a shower after that.

At 3.30pm, a domestic helper in Carol's apartment reportedly saw Coco rush out of the bathroom, bleeding profusely from her left wrist. The helper contacted the police immediately for help.

A statement by Hong Kong police said that they received a report at 3.37pm on July 2 that a woman attempted suicide in a residential unit on Barker Road and was in a coma when she was sent to Queen Mary Hospital for emergency treatment.

It was reported that a blood-stained nail clipper was found next to the sink in the bathroom.

As Coco was rushed to the hospital, she was said to have already lost consciousness and was barely breathing. She was resuscitated in the hospital.

Coco's elder sister and ex-manager Nancy spoke with Hong Kong publication ST Headline in the early hours of today and said that doctors declared Coco brain dead when she reached the hospital.

However, their mother, who is 86 years old, refused to have Coco taken off life support.

Nancy said: "The most heartbreaking thing was to see my elderly mother… Although Coco's brain cells were dead, she refused to give up on her. It is so sad to see a white-haired person sending off a black-haired person."

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"When we were at the hospital, we were told that there was no chance of saving Coco and to give up, but I told the doctor that my mum lost her husband when she was not even 40 years old… and she had a hard time supporting us," added Nancy.

"Please give my mother a chance, please give my sister Coco a chance. Even if it is just a glimmer of life, please help her."

Nancy shared: "My heart is shattered… I can't believe it. Every time I went to the ward, I checked my sister's heartbeat and oxygen monitors and kept an eye on them every second. When it beeped, I was shocked, because the doctor said she would leave any time and told us to prepare for the worst."

Coco remained in a comatose state until her death at noon yesterday (July 5).

Coco married Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz in 2011 and there were rumours in recent years that their relationship had deteriorated, which led to her depression.

There were also rumours that the pair had split up, but Coco never addressed it directly. She also reportedly had In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) nine times over the course of her marriage.

In January, she sparked concern among fans when she shared photos of herself with a drainage bag in an Instagram post and revealed that she weighed 42kg. In March, she underwent surgery to treat a congenital issue in her left leg and had to learn to walk again.

Coco last left an audio message for her fans on Weibo on July 2, thanking them for their support. The audio file has been reposted on YouTube.

She said: "Thank you everyone for your love and support for me and for having my back. I will do my best. Please take care of your health. I miss everyone very much and will continue to work hard. I miss you all very much.

"Thank you so much for the gifts! Beautiful and very thoughtful! Love you guys!"

READ ALSO: Coco Lee dies aged 48, sister says her radiance will live on

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com