Mrs Ho first went to the North District Hospital after SGT Ho was admitted with serious neck injuries sustained when cycling in Fanling on December 15, 2008. Five months later, she made her daily journey to Tai Po Hospital after SGT Ho was transferred there.

Mrs Ho and her daughters were dealt a great blow when SGT Ho went into a coma shortly after admission and had to be cared for in an Intensive Care Unit for five months. They were further devastated when SGT Ho could hardly move his limbs and was constantly confined to bed.

Fortunately, with his strong will, plus the care, encouragement and support of his family and colleagues in Marine Region, SGT Ho has made a good recovery, though he still cannot move his limbs and is bed-ridden. With the same assistance, Mrs Ho has also come to terms with the prospect of her husband becoming permanently paralysed below the neck, and faces her husband's future with courage and an open mind.

Mrs Ho told OffBeat: "What my husband's colleagues in Marine Region and the Welfare Office did for him has helped me and my daughters ride out our most difficult time.

"Shortly after my husband was admitted to North District Hospital, his colleagues rushed to hospital to find out his condition and offered me assistance. At the time I was at a loss as what to do; it was a great relief and comfort for me to see them and to know someone cared about my husband," Mrs Ho recalled.

Mrs Ho added: "I must thank the Force, in particular the officers from the Welfare Office, for doing their best to help my family get through a very difficult period. It was so nice see Madam Chang Mo-see (Marine Regional Commander), Mr Colson (Marine Outer Water District Commander), and many of his colleagues in the hospital on October 30 when they presented a valedictory and retirement souvenirs to my husband. I know this was a special arrangement for my husband and I must say this meant a lot to my family. I know I have many hard battles to fight but I will not give up."

SGT Ho's immediate supervisor, Station Sergeant Cheung Wing-leung, said: "Many of SGT Ho's colleagues went to see him in hospital, whispered in his ears and played recorded messages of encouragement and wishing him a speedy recovery, in the hope he would regain consciousness as soon as possible. Fortunately he eventually came out of coma after a few days."

The Welfare Office is looking after the needs of SGT Ho and his family in relation to rehabilitation. SGT Ho recently moved to a convalescent home in Ma On Shan and his family will hopefully be relocated to a new housing estate unit in the same area. A grant from the Police Welfare Fund was also provided to the family to cover the incidental expenses incurred during SGT Ho's hospitalisation.

This special visit by Marine Regional Commander Chang Mo-see, Marine Outer Water District Commander Roderick Colson and SGT Ho's colleagues shows that the Force is a caring organisation