Sai Kung mourns tragic death of Benjamin Restrepo

^{Benjamin Restrepo in Lhasa}

Sai Kung mourned the tragic death of Benjamin Restrepo, who was killed by a fire ladder truck in Pak Sha Wan on Sunday. People with tears in their eyes are laying flowers and offerings for Benjamin outside Mushroom Bakery on Po Tung Rd.

The Columbian was an inveterate traveller. He had been touring Tibet before making it to Hong Kong where he got stranded because of the pandemic. He had planned to go on to Hawaii, but tragedy struck last Sunday.

^{The sign selling the bike is now part of the shrine}

Benjamin was a cyclist who loved to travel around the world by bicycle, and had travelled to mainland China and many countries around the world. He came to Hong Kong in May this year to await a visa back to China in July where he had taken a job teaching English. Unfortunately the border closure owing to the pandemic meant he became stranded in Hong Kong.

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^{Many Sai Kung residents are laying flowers outside the bakery shop}

He had no stable income and had no fixed abode. He took up temporary sojourn in the Sai Kung District Community Centre and became friendly with the nearby merchants, especially the family that owns the bakery. They became friends and he taught their daughter how to ride a bicycle.

Frustrated with his efforts to go to China Benjamin consigned bicycles to the bakery to raise travel expenses, and was able to raise enough money to purchase a ticket back to Hawaii last Thursday, having US/Columbian nationality.

A bike Benjamin was trying sell is part of the shrine outside the bakery. The good people of Sai Kung mourn Benjamin, our unlucky Columbian.

Police are still investigating the accident. The Fire Services Department driver has been arrested for dangerous driving causing death.