The story of Ray Wigdal and his eleven foster children has finally received some clarification directly from Wigdal himself. The American, and long time Beijing expat, gave a phone interview with CCTV-13’s News 1+1 program, offering insight and explanation to much of the story that started when one of the children he cared for ended up in hospital.
In the interview Wigdal, speaking in Mandarin, says the allegations that he ever bullied or hit the children he cared for are completely false. He also explained that he was not hiding, but had returned to the US to care for an elderly parent.
The Beijinger has translated Wigdal’s comments, visit their post for the full translation. Here are a few key statements:
On how he treated the children:
Wigdal: All you need to do is ask the children, I never bullied them. I’ve been a school principal in the past, so I know how to teach children obedience, how to study and to quiet down – but I never hit them. I love the children so much, I could never beat them or hit them or bully them, let alone torture them. To suggest that is just going way too far. I love the children and I think the children can testify to that.
On his role in raising the children:
Wigdal: The children do not have a hukou, and of course these are not my natural children by birth, I am just a volunteer, I just help pay for their upbringing, teach them English, take them to play, or organize medical treatment, and I’ve been doing this for the past ten years. Sometimes I spent my own money on them, sometimes friends helped out. Whatever the cost we always found a way to get these kids the surgeries they need.
On his relationship to the children:
Wigdal: I am Uncle Ray. “Uncle Ray” in English is not like the Chinese é›·å”å”. “Uncle Ray” is more like saying your real uncle, and in English we don’t use that term so casually. I always told the children that I was part of their family, I am your uncle. But I would always tell them I hoped in the future they will one day have their own mothers and fathers. This is why I always very carefully used the term “uncleâ€. This way if one day the children are in fact adopted, they’ll have their own mom and dad and I will remain an uncle. The children would ask me sometimes, “Uncle Ray, are you my dad?†and I would reply “noâ€. But remember, none of these children have mothers or fathers – so we’ve told them that we [myself and the ayis who helped take care of them] are your family.
On his status as “missing”:
Wigdal: I never thought this situation would get so messy. I hate to see these articles that say I have disappeared – I’m very easy to find, in fact the police found me right away. My father is 85 years old and I’ve [come back to the US] to take care of him, but I want to return to China, hopefully before Spring Festival. If customs does not allow me back, what can I say? I don’t feel I’ve violated any laws or done anything bad. I can understand why there has been some misunderstandings. I understand a lot of the regulations and situations, including China’s hukou system, and I’ve spent a considerable amount of effort with orphanages and friends in China’s civil affairs bureau, and I know this sort of paperwork is not easy to process.
Since the interview, the Chinese netizen climate seems to have shifted from one of animosity to support and admiration, with top comments all showing sympathy for or defending Wigdal.
The cause of death of Phoebe, the young girl who was (at least partially) under the care of Wigdal and died on Tuesday, is still unclear, as the hospital has yet to release an official autopsy report. According to The Beijinger article, her remains are stuck in a bureaucratic limbo, as the child had no official identification.
As for the other 10 children, they remain at a temporary protection centre. Presuming their parents, relatives, or legal guardians are not found, the children will eventually be more permanently settled at a state-sponsored child welfare agency, where adoptive parents will be sought for them.
UPDATE – 2014-12-18: The Beijinger has a comprehensive profile on Ray Wigdal in which Ray tells his side of the story. It’s a must read for anyone who has been following this story.
You’d do yourself and your readers justice by researching Ray and his history in China. He sacrificed his life to care for these unwanted children. It’s funny how DNA tests are being done to find parents that abandoned these children so they can be reunited. They should be prosecuted for abandoning their flesh and blood because they had birth defects. While Ray wouldn’t want the recognition he should be congratulated for self sacrificing 10 years of his life carrying for children their own parents left for dead.
The little girl who died, Phoebe, told the hospital authorities that she was beaten up by Ray. Many of those children under his care were found to be malnourished.
http://shanghaiist.com/2014/12/05/foreign-foster-parent-beijing-accused-of-abusing-8-year-old-girl.php