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Ho Huen, widely known as “Mr Ho,” died at 79 on Monday (Jul 27), after his whirlwind marriage, televised family feud and knife attack on his much-younger wife drew widespread attention in Hong Kong over the past two years.
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Sources said Ho was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in early June after undergoing surgery for a hernia. Doctors at the time gave him only days to a month to live.
The diagnosis came as Ho was still facing legal proceedings over the attack on his wife. His death came just one week after a district court sentenced him in absentia to two months’ imprisonment for wounding with intent, a sentence he would never serve due to his deteriorating health.
Ho was reportedly baptized by a pastor two days before his death. His children reportedly visited him in his final hours.
How ‘Mr Ho’ became a household name
In early 2024, Ho, a widower since 2016, met Ye Xiuding, a woman from the mainland who was later known as “Mrs Ho,” at a soup stall in a local market. They married within months, with their more than 30-year age gap immediately drawing skepticism from his five children.
The controversy began when Ho accused his children of “stealing” HK$4.5 million from their joint account after his marriage to Ye. Ho and Ye then appeared on a local TV program, sharing their story and drawing widespread attention across the city.
Ho disclosed to the media that his children had cut off all ties with him because of his marriage. Ye said she was heartbroken by Ho’s situation and even shed tears during the interview.
The two later became influencers, livestreaming on different social media platforms. They often sparked online discussions for their affectionate interactions, including Ho washing his wife’s underwear during livestreams.
However, the age-gap relationship quickly fell apart after about a year. Ye announced they were proceeding with a divorce in May 2025, but netizens still spotted the couple shopping hand-in-hand.
A confrontation between the couple turned violent in late May 2025, when Ho pulled out a folding knife and attacked Ye in the elevator lobby of their Tuen Mun housing block. Ye suffered an injury to the back of her head, while Ho injured his fingers after Ye bit them. The attack was stopped by Ye’s son, who took the knife away from Ho.
Ho told investigators he attacked Ye because she threatened to divorce him and leave Hong Kong. Both were charged with one count of wounding with intent.
In October 2025, Ho gave an interview in which he publicly criticized Ye and announced he was determined to divorce her. He also apologized to his five children, admitting that he had been “lured into a trap”, a Cantonese expression meaning he had been deceived.
The case continued through the courts in 2026.
On March 17, during a hearing in the District Court, Ho indicated he would plead guilty, while Ye indicated she would plead not guilty.
On May 20, Ho formally pleaded guilty to one count of wounding with intent in the District Court. He was remanded in custody and also expressed a willingness to testify as a witness in Ye’s upcoming trial.
Sentencing was originally scheduled for June 3, but Ho applied for legal aid and the judge adjourned the hearing. The case was called again on July 7, but Ho was hospitalized and unable to attend, prompting another adjournment to July 21.
On July 21, Ho remained in hospital and was absent from the courtroom. Taking into account Ho’s age and diagnosis of depression, the judge imposed a reduced sentence of two months’ imprisonment. Since Ho had been in custody since May 20, the sentence was deemed already served, and he was ordered to be released immediately. Ho died just days after regaining his freedom.
Ye has pleaded not guilty to the same charge. Her trial is scheduled for February 11, 2027.
