Johnson Choi’s Birthday Party Speech | July 15, 2025 蔡永強2025年7月15日生日派對致辭稿
Good evening, everyone.
To see all of you here means the world to me. Before we celebrate, there are some people I need to thank.
First and foremost, I have to acknowledge my wife, and my boss—Carmen. Thank you for everything.
I also want to take a moment to remember my grandfather and my father. My grandfather was born in 1875, and my father in 1900 in Hong Kong. Though they left us long ago, their lessons remain with us every day. My grandfather was the second-in-command at Taikoo Shipyard, a subsidiary of Swire Corporation. My father worked for Hastings, the oldest British law firm in Hong Kong. He was also a soccer player for South China AA, and represented Hong Kong in the Far Eastern Championship Games in the Philippines during the 1920s. They taught us the importance of education, patriotism, and staying true to our Chinese heritage, culture, and roots.
As the saying goes, “Crisis” is made of two characters: Danger and Opportunity. I’ve seen this truth play out three times in my life, and it’s brought me here today.
The first crisis came in 1973. That year, the Hong Kong stock market crashed, losing 90% of its value. Bruce Lee passed away. And I had to leave Hong Kong because I failed my Form 5 public exam. But that crisis gave me the push I needed to leave home and see the world.
The second crisis was the 2008 financial crash. Carmen was the CFO of an escrow company that decided to shut down. The crisis forced her to leave Hawaii. But at that time, two former colleagues, Mei Liu and Sunny Chan, who had moved to San Francisco a few years earlier, opened their home to her while she looked for a job. I never had the chance to properly thank them. So, Mei and Sunny: thank you. Thank you for your kindness when we needed it most. In this world, people who offer “coal in the snow” are rare, while those who push you when you’re down are everywhere. Fair-weather friends are a dime a dozen. Because of you, Carmen found work in San Francisco, where salaries are generally 40-60% higher than in Hawaii. That second crisis turned into a great opportunity.
The third crisis has been our desire to retire safely and comfortably. We no longer feel the US provides us with that safety and quality of life. We realized the best option is to return to our roots, to Hong Kong or China. We’ve already set things in motion and plan to leave the US within six years. While others talk about it, we are doing it. I never imagined back in 1973, when I left Hong Kong as a teenager, that I would one day be planning to return there to retire.
And moving to San Francisco? It was the best decision we could have made. If we had stayed in Hawaii—which, sadly, has become a failed state—we would not know 95% of the people in this room.
You have all enriched our lives, and I want to thank you. In no particular order:
· Pat Chin and Cynthia Yee: Through our journey with Dean Chuck Gee of the University of Hawaii’s School of Travel Industry Management, on one single evening at his 80th birthday, we helped raise $250,000 for UH scholarships in Hong Kong.
· Howell Kiung and his wife Ling Ling: We wish Ling Ling well as she spends time with family in China.
· Nancy and Peter Lee: A retired scientist and doctor from UCSF, you have spent the last 14 years doing incredible charity work in Sichuan. Using your own money, you’ve helped over 100 poor students finish high school, and nearly 100 of them have gone on to college. You are an inspiration.
· Paul Gee: Owner of Gee Vineyard in Napa Valley. From shopping trips to incredible food and wine tours in China and Hong Kong, you’ve given us some of our best memories. You always insist Carmen picks the menu, and cost is never an issue. Thank you, Paul.
· Michelle Au: You were our star DJ at our K-2 Karaoke Restaurant in Honolulu. Though we only reconnected a few years ago, I love following your Facebook posts. You are such a dedicated pet lover!
· Ken Ho: My fellow University of Hawaii graduate from 1977. You were smart enough to leave Hawaii years before me, and now you own the Grant Plaza Hotel in SF Chinatown.
· Julie Xie: High school classmate of Carmen’s former boss. When Carmen lived and worked in Shanghai for a year in 2018, we appreciated that connection.
· Lucy, Yunice, and Kevin: Former colleagues from North East Medical Services, and now our favorite Mahjong and travel partners.
· Ray and Barbara Hing: Ray, a former executive with British Petroleum in China.
· Jenny Chan: Thank you for your vital work leading educational programs on Japanese atrocities during WWII, including the Nanjing Massacre and Unit 731.
· Kitty and her husband: Our families go way back, as Kitty’s mom and Carmen’s mom knew each other. We’ve shared so many fun dinners and parties at your house.
· David and Binnie Wong: David, you are an incredibly accomplished musician, trained in a professional school in China, and have gone on to great success in real estate here.
· Shan Cheng: Carmen’s first cousin and a successful importer based in SF.
· Vincent, 瑤瑤, 雁子, Ken Ken, and Albert: Dear friends and Carmen’s core karaoke crew.
· 民記: You have one of the best karaoke systems I’ve ever seen, you’re an excellent singer, and a fantastic cook with a commercial kitchen at home. You’re the perfect man—if only you were single!
· Paul, aka Laughing Gor: We just met last week, but we already had a fantastic time at your boat slip in San Mateo.
And to anyone I might have missed—please forgive me, but you are not forgotten.
I am so grateful that our journey led us to San Francisco and to every single one of you.
Thank you all for being here to celebrate with us. Cheers to good health, good friends, and the opportunities that lie ahead. Let’s enjoy the party!
蔡永強2025年7月15日生日派對致辭稿
各位親愛的朋友、家人，
大家好。今天是我很高興的日子，能夠在這裡，和我們生命中最重要的人聚在一起。在正式開始之前，我想先感謝幾個人。
首先，我必須感謝我的妻子，也是我的老闆——Carmen。感謝你一直以來的陪伴、支持和包容。
我也想緬懷我生命中的兩位啟蒙者：我的祖父和父親。我的祖父出生於1875年，父親則生於1900年的香港。他們雖然離開我們很久了，但他們的教誨，我們永誌不忘。祖父曾是太古集團旗下太古船塢的二把手，父親則任職於香港歷史最悠久的律師行Hastings。同時，父親還是香港南華足球隊的球員，並在1920年代代表香港遠赴菲律賓參加遠東運動會。他們用一生教導我們要專注於教育、心懷愛國之情，並且永遠銘記我們的中國血脈、文化和根源。
接下來，我想感謝在座的各位朋友，排名不分先後。在我的人生旅途中，我深信一句話：「危機」二字，有「危」也有「機」。我想和大家分享三個改變我們人生的「危機」。
第一個危機，是在1973年。那年我離開香港，臨行前，香港股災，股市暴跌九成，李小龍也在同年離世。我離開的原因，是中學會考不及格。但正是這個「危機」，為我帶來了遠赴他鄉的「機會」。
第二個危機，是2008年的金融海嘯。當時Carmen任職的託管公司倒閉，這促使她離開夏威夷。幸好，幾年前已經從夏威夷搬到三藩市的舊同事Mei Liu和Sunny Chan伸出援手，讓Carmen在求職期間借住他們家。我一直沒有機會當面道謝，今天想在這裡，正式跟 Mei 和 Sunny 說一聲：謝謝你們當年的雪中送炭。這個世界，錦上添花的人多，雪中送炭的人少。正因為有你們的幫助，Carmen才能在三藩市找到薪水比夏威夷高出40-60%的工作，將第二次危機變成了人生的轉機。
第三個危機，是我們對未來的思考。我們希望能安穩、有品質地退休。但我們發現，美國已不再能提供我們想要的安全感和舒適生活。最後，我們得出結論：回到我們的根，回到香港或中國，是最好的選擇。我們已經開始行動，計劃在六年內離開美國。當別人還在談論，我們已經在實踐。我從沒想過，1973年離開香港時，最終有一天，我會以退休為目標，再次回到家鄉。
說起搬到三藩市，這是我們人生中一個非常正確的決定。如果我們當初留在夏威夷，就不會認識今天在座95%的朋友。夏威夷如今已是一個失落的州，祇適合富人的天堂，人工低，生活成本高! 因為離開夏威夷才遇見了你們。
我想借此機會，一一感謝這些年來與我們同行、給我們溫暖的每一位朋友：
· 感謝 Pat Chin 和 Cynthia Yee。因為夏威夷大學旅遊學院的Dean Chuck Gee，在他80歲壽宴上，我們共同為夏威夷大學的香港獎學金籌得了25萬美元。
· 感謝 Howell Kiung 和他的太太 Ling Ling，祝Ling Ling在中國與家人共度美好時光。
· 感謝 Nancy 和 Peter Lee。退休的科學家和醫生，過去14年一直在四川默默行善，用自己的積蓄幫助了超過100名貧困學生完成高中學業，其中近100人更順利升讀大學。
· 感謝 Paul Gee，Napa Valley Gee Vineyard的主人。我們一起在香港和中國吃遍了最好的餐廳，你總讓Carmen負責點菜，從不設限。謝謝你帶給我們無數美好的餐酒體驗。
· 感謝 Michelle Au。你曾是我們在Honolulu McCully Shopping Center的K-2卡拉OK餐廳最好的DJ，雖然多年後才重逢，但我一直很享受追蹤你在Facebook上分享的寵物點滴。
· 感謝 Ken Ho。我們在1977年同時畢業於夏威夷大學，你比我聰明得多，早早離開夏威夷，如今已是三藩市華埠Grant Plaza酒店的老闆。
· 感謝 Julie Xie。你是Carmen前老闆的高中同學，2018年Carmen在上海工作一年時，感謝你的照顧。
· 感謝 Lucy, Yunice 和 Kevin。你們是Carmen在北加州東北醫療服務的前同事，也是我們最好的麻雀腳和旅遊夥伴。
· 感謝 Ray 和 Barbara Hing。Ray曾是英國石油公司在中國的高管。
· 感謝 Jenny Chan。謝謝你致力於推動有關二戰時期日軍暴行（如南京大屠殺和731部隊）的教育工作。
· 感謝 Kitty 和你的先生。因為Kitty的母親和Carmen的母親相識，讓我們有緣結交，在你家度過了無數歡樂的晚餐和派對時光。
· 感謝 David 和 Binnie Wong。David是一位才華橫溢的音樂家，在中國接受過專業訓練，來美後在房地產投資上取得巨大成功。
· 感謝 Shan Cheng，Carmen的表弟，三藩市一位成功的進口商。
· 感謝 Vincent, 瑤瑤，雁子，Ken Ken, Albert，你們是Carmen的卡拉OK好友，也是我們的好朋友。
· 感謝 民記。你家有頂級的卡拉OK系統，你本人既是出色的歌手，又是擁有一個商用廚房的好廚師。如果你是單身，簡直是完美的男人典範！
· 感謝上週才認識的 Paul， aka laughing gor，謝謝你在San Mateo的船泊位接待我們，度過了愉快的時光。
如果我有遺漏任何一位朋友，請原諒我，但你們都在我們心裡。
今晚，我們不僅是為了慶祝生日，更是為了慶祝我們與每一位的相遇。感謝大家的光臨，願我們友誼長存，共同迎接未來每一個美好的日子！
乾杯！
Johnson Choi Biz 