Aurora, Ohio – April 14, 2023 – On behalf of TCP’s CEO, Ellis Yan, the company would like to pay tribute and celebrate the life of Johnny Kong, who very unfortunately passed away earlier this week in Shanghai. Johnny was a dear father, grandfather, friend, co-worker, and all-around family man. His kindness, compassion, generosity, and loyalty knew no bounds. Rarely do you find someone in life who has the remarkable ability to give 100 percent in all they do, but that was truly Johnny.
As a dear and devoted friend to both Ellis and his brother, Solomon Yan, Johnny’s reliability and loyalty were unwavering. He stepped up in countless ways during hardships, celebrated in triumphs, tirelessly supported TCP, and was willing at a moment’s notice to help in any way he could. His endless support was both revered and humbling.
“Johnny was my dear friend; he was so loyal to our whole team and with no hesitation, took on the position of being our caretaker in Shanghai,” Ellis states. “He supported TCP from day one, taking care of logistics – and he did it the right way. He will forever be remembered, loved, and respected by all of us.”
With his black leather jacket, dark shades, and slicked-back hair, Johnny embodied the very essence of cool. His endearing personality had an indescribable way of making you feel like you were one of the family. He assisted many during travels to China, always greeting them with open arms and a big smile. Whether he was making sure you got a fair price, recommending the best food choices, or simply getting you safely back to your hotel, all he did was saturated with genuine hospitality and care. You didn’t have to know Johnny long to see that he was a true caretaker at heart. It was so embedded in who he was, as evidenced by all fortunate enough to have crossed his path.
Johnny will always be remembered for his steadfast loyalty, kind and generous spirit, gentle sense of humor, keen intellect for logistics, and his ability to genuinely care for people he encountered. But his greatest achievement of all was how well he loved, to which there will forever be a lasting impact on the lives of those he touched.
“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”