Sora Ma opens up about childbirth after husband's sudden death
Malaysian actress Sora Ma has revealed a personal tragedy.
The 40-year-old, who is based in Singapore, shared with fans over social media that her husband died six months ago.
Ma, who gave birth to their son Skye in August, faced childbirth and confinement as a widow. She married a Singaporean businessman in 2021 and the couple held their wedding the following year. They met in 2012 and began dating in 2013. Her husband was in his late-40s.
The couple conceived Skye via in-vitro fertilisation.
On Dec 11, Ma uploaded a long message, written in both English and Chinese, to her Instagram account, along with a photo of her baby’s feet with what appears like her and her husband’s wedding rings on each of the boy’s toes.
She wrote: “This is perhaps the longest I’ve ever taken to process and gather the courage to talk about something. Six months ago, my husband left us forever. There was no illness, no warning – it was sudden and completely unexpected. His passing caught me entirely off guard.
“During these months, I’ve been through home renovations, giving birth, confinement, moving, becoming a first-time mum and raising our child – all things I never imagine I’d have to face alone. But I’ve been learning, step by step, to handle everything on my own.”
Ma said that after her life settled into a rhythm recently, she finally felt brave enough to watch a video her husband’s friends had made for him.
“I thought I was ready, but the truth is, you’re never truly prepared to face something like this. Grief has its ups and downs, and I’ve gone back and forth countless times,” she said.
Ma, who starred in Channel 8 series such as Hero (2016) and Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost (2021), thanked her late spouse for the “wonderful relationships he built” as his friends and family have been a source of constant support for her through the “hardest chapter” of her life.
She also apologised for not sharing the news with some of her friends in person and hoped for them to understand her silence over the past few months.
Ma, who has been sharing regular updates about her baby and motherhood on Instagram since giving birth, said she will remain strong for her son.
“When life took (my husband) away from me, it also gave me another life – our baby, Skye. He is the continuation of our love and the reason I find strength to keep going.”
She added: “I will do my best to be the person I need to be and, most importantly, to be the best mum I can for Skye. I’ll continue to learn, to grow and to live my life as best as I can.”
Ma’s celebrity friends have left words of encouragement for her beneath the post. Former actress Eelyn Kok wrote: “So sorry you have to go through this journey, big hugs. You’re a strong, wonderful mama.”
Singer-songwriter Tay Kewei added: “Always here for you.”
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