Hongkong director John Woo aka the man behind classic action movies Hardboiled, A Better Tomorrow and Mission: Impossible 2 has always had the support of his wife Annie, whom he has been married to for 44 years.

In 2011, when John was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoid cancer, Annie stood by him and even sold their only house in Beijing to raise funds for John’s treatment. In interviews then, Annie shared that receiving John’s diagnosis was the first time she came face to face with death and she had described the experience as both frightening and unnerving.

While the 74-year-old has since recovered, Annie was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour. According to reports, Annie has always suffered from headaches, and relied on peppermint balms to soothe them. Two months ago, her headaches worsened, and she started to feel dizzy. Once, Annie almost fell out of a chair she was sitting on and her worried older sister urged her to go for a check-up.

An MRI scan then showed that she had a tumour the size of a ping-pong ball in her brain and the doctor recommended her to go for surgery as soon as possible. Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases in America, where John and Annie live, John insisted on accompanying Annie on all her hospital visits.

Recently, the couple celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary but the mood was somber. They were worried that if the surgery did not go well, it would be their last meal together.

Luckily, the surgery was a success but according to reports, the tumour has not been fully removed, as some parts of it are still pressing on the blood vessels in Annie’s brain. As a result, she will have to monitor her condition, and undergo further treatment. In the two weeks following her operation, Annie reported that her head still felt numb, but thankfully, the numbness slowly subsided as time went by.

When reached for a comment about her condition, Annie said, “The experiences that you go through in your life [influences] the homework that you’re assigned. My homework is to help Director Woo perfect his directing, which he loves the most,” sharing that she wants to help John finish filming the remake of his 1989 film, The Killer, which is currently in development.

She remains as optimistic as ever. Since I’ve cleared this stage, and the MRI results are clear, I’ll drink two more cups of coffee, and live out the rest of my life,” she said.

If you or anyone you know has been affected by a brain tumour, and is looking for a source of support and information, do check out the Brain Tumour Society Singapore. Click here for more information.

Photos: PBE Media, John Woo/Weibo