If you’re a fan of TVB dramas during the late 1990s and early 2000s, you’ve likely seen actor Sunny Chan Kam-hung (陈锦鸿) on your television screen. The actor had starred in several classic TVB works, including “At The Threshold Of An Era (創世紀)”. Despite his promising career, Sunny stepped away from the spotlight and even moved countries – all so he could be a better father.
After his sudden retirement a decade ago, many fans grew curious about the actor’s whereabouts. A netizen recently shared a video of Sunny, taken from an event in China. During the event, the 57-year-old spoke candidly about quitting his acting career to care for his autistic son, Chan Ka-Wah (陈驾桦). He shared, “I stopped working in 2011 after I completed filming “Curse Of The Royal Harem (萬凰之王)”. Why? Because at the time, my 3-and-a-half-year-old son couldn’t communicate.”
Sunny revealed that Ka-Wah had difficulty communicating because he had autism. The actor said, “He doesn’t like to express himself, so from then on, I decided not to act anymore. After my contract with TVB expired, I stopped working and stayed home to look after my son. I taught him how to speak, played games with him, cooked for him and helped him understand that it’s good to communicate with his parents.”
According to reports, Sunny also relocated his family so his son could have a better future. He allegedly moved from Hong Kong to Guangzhou to put Ka-Wah into an international school so he could study in a more comfortable environment. His efforts were not in vain because his son became one of the top students in his grade. The now-17-year-old is also a gifted musician, having self-composed an English song.
After learning his story, many netizens praised Sunny’s dedication to raising his child. Many said he’s admirable for willingly putting aside a lucrative acting career to spend time with his family and a better father. Some also reminisce about his past roles, saying he’s a talented actor and hoped they could see him return to acting, given that his son is now a teen.
Sunny also wrote a book about his experience as a parent of an autistic child, in which he revealed the most important thing when raising someone with autism is having patience. It seems Sunny is just as talented as he is loving.
Watch the video of Sunny from his recent event:
@hypemalaysia Here’s why former TVB actor #SunnyChan #陈锦鸿 decided to step away from acting at the peak of his career:
Sources: China Press, XiaoHongShu, Douyin
