Hundreds of Hongkongers are mourning the death of Wong Kwong, the beloved ice cream hawker who sold snacks outside a Shek Kip Mei school for almost six decades, after he died yesterday at age 102.
Wong’s death was confirmed by Lobo Ho, principal of Maryknoll Fathers’ School (MFS) in Shek Kip Mei, after receiving the news from alumni who were friendly with him, HK01 reports. Wong had been staying at Queen Elizabeth Hospital since last week.
Wong began his hawking his wares outside the school in the 1960s after he was hired by an ice cream company. “He was very close to all of us here at [MFS],” Ho said. “[Wong] was a part of the school. He witnessed all the changes that happened here over the past 60 years. He’s a part of our history.”
It’s a testament to Wong’s popularity that former students would return to visit him even after graduation. Upon graduating, some students would even seek the 102-year-old out in their cap and gown to take photos with him.
After the news of Wong’s death broke, hundreds of netizens took to Facebook to express their gratitude to their “ice cream uncle”. “Thank you for enriching my childhood, ice cream uncle,” one said.
Last May, Wong caused a minor stir amongst alumni after he stopped appearing at his usual spot on Lung Chu Street, but it was later discovered that he had been admitted to a care home. MFS students and teachers are reportedly in discussions with Wong’s family to move his belongings from Lung Chu Street, where they have remained for the past year, to the campus.
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