Injured Mirror dancer 'wakes up' as father calls for prayers

Dancer Mo Lee Kai-yin has come out of a coma and is able to make simple communication - 10 days after being critically injured when a gigantic screen fell on his head at Cantopop boy band Mirror's concert at Hong Kong Coliseum, his father says.

It is understood Lee can breathe himself and does not need breathing apparatus.

The Reverend Derek Li Shing-lam, father of the 27-year-old dancer, yesterday called for prayers for his son and two other injured dancers, Chang Tsz-fung and Zisac Law Tak-chi.

In a prayer letter, Li said he hoped his son can recover soon and return to the stage.

"Kai-yin has woken up and made simple communications," the father wrote.

"From now on, we still need everyone's prayers, encouragement and companionship, wishing his health and spirit can recover as soon as possible under the blessing of god, so he can see everyone and try his best to return to the stage."

He hoped the special task force set up by the government to probe the cause of the accident could make constructive recommendations to ensure the safety of performers in future. Li also thanked the medical team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, as well as for the prayers and blessings by people in Hong Kong and around the world.

He said he appreciated authorities arranging compassionate visits for him and his wife during their quarantine period.

Li and his wife, who flew back from Canada on July 31, have completed their seven-day quarantine at W Hotel in West Kowloon and moved to other accommodation.

Li was seen visiting his son at the hospital yesterday afternoon. A hospital spokesman said Lee remains in critical condition with stable vital signs.

Lee's girlfriend, So Ching, from the eight-member girl group Collar, also under MakerVille which manages Mirror, broke her silence on Instagram on Saturday and said she will wait for her boyfriend to return.

Meanwhile, 29-year-old dancer Chang, who was also knocked over by the falling screen with injuries to his waist and hips, has left CUHK medical center and moved to a quiet place to rest, said Catherine Lui Sze-wai, a former kindergarten supervisor who earlier helped Chang's family to clarify the dancer's condition.

On Facebook yesterday, Lui asked the press not to wait outside the hospital or Chang's previous home.

It is understood Chang continued his treatment at CUHK Medical Centre in Sha Tin after being discharged from Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Chang also posted on his Instagram yesterday, saying he hoped the whole 24-member dancing team could perform on stage again.

Officers from Kowloon West police crime unit and government engineers were spotted inspecting Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom yesterday to continue their investigation, including determining the weight of the screen that fell on the dancers..

Officers last night took away three frames of the four meter x four meter screen, six pieces of LED panels,and a broken screw.

"We believe these will help our investigation," said Superintendent Alan Chung Nga-lun of the Kowloon West regional crime unit.

"Our work is not done yet. We may come back to the coliseum to seize evidence in the next few days."

The special task force said Friday after its second meeting that metal fatigue of a suspension cord was the likely cause of the gigantic screen dropping.

"At the spot where the cable broke, there are signs suggesting that metal fatigue is highly likely to be the cause," said Lee Tsz-chun, an assistant director of Leisure and Cultural Services who is leading the task force.

"There are still a lot of tests to be done before we make our final conclusion. We will not rule out other possibilities and will investigate in different directions," Lee said.