Remembering Wei

The news came so suddenly that there was no time to process. Wei Chen — beloved father, husband and friend to so many people around the world — was gone! Suddenly our world felt so much dimmer and our lives so much colder. We are talking about the Wei Chen! Just how is one to face the prospect of such a tragic news. Wei was truly a remarkable human being; one who was universally loved by all who met him. His was a smile so infectious that. would brighten anyone’s day. His gestures upon greeting you: an open arm and a sudden freeze. He would smile and then: “heyyyyyyy!” The big embrace would follow. You knew you were in the presence of Wei.

I met Wei in a restaurant in Pudong, Shanghai soon after he had completed his round-the-world flight — the first by a Chinese citizen. I was expecting to talk airplanes. Instead, there was a spark of friendship like I had never experienced in a first encounter. Wei was engaging, more interested in what I was doing and thinking about than what and who he was. He had just made aviation history, but our discussion was about the world, about China, about family, about life, and occasionally about aviation.

Wei loved the freedom of flight. There was no question about it. He owned many planes and was a competent and steady pilot. But aviation, and other material pursuits like business, were only a means, a spice of life where friends, family and community came together. It was easy to invite Wei to a function. You wanted him there. In 2012 we went together to Alaska to become floatplane rated pilots in the raw wilderness of the north. There were seven of us — the magnificent seven as we called ourselves. Each of us took a ‘Call Sign’ representing our encounter with this beautiful land. For Wei with the initials C.W. it was ‘China Whisky.’ Therein lies the essence of who he was — an intriguing blend of east and west; a renaissance man who called China home as equally as he called USA home.

Wei came to America as an immigrant from a second tier city of Changsha in Hunan province of China. He hardly spoke much English and had little money. Wei didn’t take the typical easier routes of most immigrants. He settled in Memphis, Tennessee with no one to lean on. He met his wife, Isabel, at school; completed his MBA with a grant and started a business which went on to be one of the largest local enterprises employing hundreds in US and in China. To Wei, time to give back came soon after initial success. He recognized and appreciated his roots, never losing sight of where he came from and what he had achieved. His round-the-world trip raised much-needed money for the St Jude Children’s hospital. In no time, Wei had become a true Memphian. He went on to write a book about his life adventures called ‘Around the World in 69 Days.’ The caption captured Wei’s true spirit: “what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” That was all Wei. He went at it as if he knew he could not fail and he didn’t. He just learned, became better and imparted all that knowledge and wisdom on other.

Wei will live on in our memories and our testimonies, but above all, in the lives he touched and through the legacy he left. He did not say goodbye. So, I, like many others, will keep his memory alive, imagine him by my side and will ask him quietly to show me the way.

We love you China Whisky! We love you Chen Wei!

Shane Tedjarati — 22-Dec-2018