TROUBLED LIFE
Inside Coco Lee’s heartbreaking health battles from ‘fighting demons’ and horror surgery to learning to walk again
WHILE fighting her personal demons, Coco Lee also faced an uphill battle with her physical health throughout her life.
She told fans she had grappled with "life-changing hurdles" over the last year in her final social media post before her tragic death.
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The acclaimed singer-songwriter, 48, sadly passed away on Wednesday after trying to take her own life, her sisters said.
Her elder siblings Carol and Nancy Lee said the "demon inside [Coco] took the better of her" in a statement announcing the sad news.
They explained the Chinese-American star had been suffering from depression for a few years, but she "deteriorated drastically" over the last few months.
Coco had sought professional help and "did her best to fight" her mental health problems, but sadly couldn't carry on any longer.
READ MORE ON COCO LEE
She had described the final year of her life as "incredibly difficult" in her final Instagram update which she shared on New Year's Eve.
Dubbing herself the "female warrior", she sought to inspire fans with her story of overcoming hardship and her health woes.
She wrote: "Life seemed unbearable at times but I adapted the attitude of a 'female warrior' to face them head-on, fearlessly but always had the biggest smile and big fat laughter!
"Strength, courage, and bravery is within all of us, so use them."
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The singer, best known for belting out the song Reflection for Disney's Mulan, said she was "grateful everyday to be alive."
Coco added: "I’m a female warrior baby! Just like The Great Wall of China, I will never fall. If I can overcome anything, so can you!
"You are not alone, no matter how hard life gets, I’m with you."
Behind her brave words, the performer was dealing with excruciating pain due to ongoing issues with her lower body.
She was born with a defect in her left leg and underwent an operation at two years old that was unsuccessful.
Coco was plagued by issues with her leg throughout her life and was forced to heavily rely on her right leg to support her body.
Although her incredible stage presence masked her suffering, the 48-year-old had been riddled with issues stemming from the defect.
Her problems worsened in October last year, when her injury flared up after Coco had over-exerted herself during a dance rehearsal.
FEMALE WARRIOR
She was then forced to undergo major surgery, which reportedly took place in February, at a hospital in Hong Kong.
Surgeons operated on her pelvis and thigh during the two-hour operation, which left her needing to learn to walk again.
Coco only revealed the extent of her health issues to fans for the first time in March when she shared a clip of herself before and after.
The Hong Kong icon, who dropped her latest single Tragic on February 14, described the procedure as "successful" in an online post.
She wrote on social media: "Successful surgery. Even though I’m in a lot of pain and I have to relearn how to walk again, I know I can do it.
"Yes, I can and I will. Thank you, everyone."
In the video, Coco was seen prepping for the op as she told herself in the mirror: "Come on. I can do it."
She then gave fans an insight into the gruelling recovery she faced as she walked slowly with a walker while a nurse guarded her side.
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The clip also featured a heartwarming moment as she was greeted by a huge "welcome home" teddy bear from her loved ones.
It went on to show her continued progress as she taught herself to walk again over a 12-day period while aided by a walker.
Coco then approached the camera clenching her fist in defiance, saying: "Warrior baby! Female warrior."
Her sister Nancy said she would likely be taking a break throughout 2023 as she needed at least six months to recover.
Tragically, the news of her comeback never came and her family instead announced Coco had sadly passed away following her mental and physical fight.
Her sisters said in a statement: "With great sadness, we are here break the most devastating news: Coco had been suffering from depression for a few years but her condition deteriorated drastically over the last few months.
"Although Coco sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her."
Coco's family said she had attempted to take her own life at her home on Sunday before being rushed to hospital.
'HER LIGHT WILL LAST FOREVER'
"Despite the best efforts of the hospital team to rescue and treat her from her coma, she finally passed away on 5 July, 2023," the statement continued.
Coco leaves behind her husband, Bruce Rockowitz, and two adult stepchildren.
She married the Canadian businessman in 2011 and revealed they had been undergoing IVF in the hopes of having a baby in 2018.
She was well recognised for her feature on the 2000 Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon where she sang A Love Before Time.
Her sisters said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Coco's singing career, highlighting her "countless international acclaim" with top-selling songs.
They said she left fans with an "astounding impression of her excellent live performances."
The statement added: "Coco is also known to have worked tirelessly to open up a new world for Chinese singers in the international music scene, and she went all out to shine for the Chinese.
"We are proud of her!
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"Although Coco stays in the world for not long a time, her rays of light will last forever!"
Coco sold tens of millions of Chinese and English albums after her singing in Mulan earned her international acclaim.
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You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,
- Mind, , 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus,, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, , 116 123
- Movember,
- Anxiety UK , 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm
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