Earlier this month, The Atlantic featured a emotional and powerful documentary called “Aging and Alone in Manhattan’s Chinatown“.
Directed by Mantai Chow the film focuses on King-Sim Ng, an 80 year old who has lived alone in Chinatown for the past 15 years. Ng’s children moved out and her husband passed away in 1985. The camera walks (slowly) with Ng as she pushes a cart up and down Chinatown, digging through trash bags, foraging for edible (and inedible) food, as well as hitting up restaurants that will give her the day’s unused food.
Ng’s somewhat spartan life is dotted with fellow elderly, foragers and the kindness of younger friends that provide her the substance she needs to keep on.
The video ends with uncertainty after learning that Ng disappeared and it was later discovered that she was hit by a car during one of her walks. The film doesn’t have much insight after that tidbit of information and leaves the watchers wondering.
Did she die? Did they find the person that hit her? How is she doing? Who is her family?
What happened to King-Sim Ng
After doing some searching, I ultimately found that Mantai Chow, the Director and Producer of the documentary posted a follow up in the comments section when many of the commenters were concerned with what happened with Ng after the documentary was complete.
Ng didn’t die after being hit by the car. As of June 2016, she is back in her apartment. Doesn’t sound like Ng is as mobile as she was as Chow mentions that her friend Tay (the one in the video that brings her food at 10PM) visits her “almost every day” and Tay has enlisted the help of her children:
I got in touch with her finally in June after the film is done. She is back in her apartment safe and sound. She seems to be fine but her legs are still a bit weak. Tay visits Ng in her apartment almost every day now to give her food and stuff. Her children also are helping out! I hope things will get better for her.
On top of that, Karlin Chan, an activist and president of The Chinese FreeMasons in NYC’s Chinatown reportedly checked-in with Ng after watching the documentary:
“Before everyone gets bent out of shape because of this video, I know this woman and checked this morning after seeing video. (She) is fine, not seriously hurt, has been back home… her children visit her regularly and provide for her. She choses (sic) to be independent, And she has no need to scavenge bottles or wait for handouts to survive.”
From yomyomf.com (check the comments section):
