“Cried Beneath the Covers Every Night”: Martial Arts Legend Jackie Chan Suffered a Tragic Incident as a Nine-Year-Old That Left Him in Anguish

Published 11/28/2022, 6:30 AM EST

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Jackie Chan is one of the most iconic superstars of global cinema. His movies and action sequences have revolutionized the industry. He is globally renowned and a proud actor and filmmaker from China. But even he had to struggle to gain recognition for his work.

Jackie Chan was born in Hongkong, but his father moved to Canberra, Australia, when he was 6. Jackie Chan was sent back to a boarding school at the age of 7. The rigorous discipline was already very tough for a 7-year-old child. However, things got worse when her mother also had to move to Australia, and he was left alone. 

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Jackie’s Parents’ Last Visit Before Leaving For Australia

In his biography, Never Grow Up, Jackie Chan described this incident when his parents came to meet him for the last time. After the struggle of two years, Jackie was finally getting used to seeing her mother just once a week. Little did he know that things were going to be worse for him. 

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He wrote, “No more candy and baths from Mom. No more visits at all.” His mother used to visit every weekend and give him a bath and candies, and this was going to be snatched from Chan for the next decade. Chan went to see off his parents at the airport. 

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However, the kid broke down, seeing his parents parting ways with him. “As I watched them walk away to their gate, I started crying and didn’t stop until their plane took off”, he wrote. 

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Dark Days to Follow for Jackie Chan 

It is almost impossible for a 9-year-old to handle himself knowing his parents are thousands of miles away from him. Chan was suddenly alone. He wrote, “After their departure, I cried beneath the covers every night for a week.”

via Imago

Chan soon accepted the reality and started focusing on his training. Jackie had initial struggles, but he eventually got over the phase. Chan kept excelling in martial arts. No matter how much strict that place was, it was the academy that made him “Jackie Chan”.

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Written by:

Shivam Sharma

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Shivam Sharma is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, he has previously worked as a writer and an anchor for Navbharat Today, penning down and explaining issues around sports, politics, and international relations. He is an admirer of Virat Kohli for the passion that he brings to the field.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa