Hong Kong Sevens: Tonga sing and pray for Hongkonger ahead of life-threatening heart surgery

Jonathan Mo is surrounded by the Pacific Islanders as they ask God to protect him during his surgery

Mo’s dreams of a professional rugby career were dashed but now he lives it vicariously through the players

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The Tongan Sevens team sing and pray for Jonathan Mo as he prepares for heart surgery. Photos: Handout

Published: 12:49pm, 7 Apr 2019Updated: 6:24pm, 8 Apr 2019

Jonathan Mo could not believe it when the Tongan sevens liaison officer reached out to him and invited him to training. They had heard Mo was facing life-threatening heart surgery with just a 40 per cent survival rate via a SCMP article, and wanted to pray for him.

“They didn’t even know me but they were doing all these things for me,” Mo said. “They didn’t have to, but they did and that shows their character.”

The players and Mo huddled together and they sang. Then, in an emotional moment, they knelt around Mo, placed their hands on him and prayed, asking God to keep him safe during the surgery.

“I nearly cried. I was close to tears,” he said.

Watch: Tonga sevens sing and pray for Mo

The Tongan’s generosity did not end there. At 7:30am on Saturday he was called once again by the liaison officer, Ben Wong. They had a ticket for Mo to the Sevens. He joined them in their bus to the stadium and spent the day with them – he even walked around the pitch during the team’s parade.