Fire department salutes Chin (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)
“He loved the kids of this neighborhood. Last month a toddler ran into King St and got hit by a car. Donnie responded first. The three generations of this family just stopped by Sun May to show him the baby was okay. Besides being our safety and medical emergency responder, Donnie was a community history keeper. Donnie’s family’s Sun May store is a pioneer business, a treasure trove of Asian American memorabilia and crafts, and he was amazingly knowledgeable about all the goods they carried. He was invited inside people’s homes and businesses where no one else entered, including at deaths and business closures. Once he figured out how to use a computer, he wrote down the day-to-day stories of the non-rich and the non-famous, stories only he could write. Donnie appreciated that the Wing Luke Museum was a community place, and helped us preserve neighborhood stories, snippets of real life, pieces of community lore. The museum staff saw Donnie every day: saving lives, saving community stories, honoring a community and its heritage. Donnie was a child of this neighborhood who grew up to be its protector. I can think of no better way to pay tribute to Donnie than to support his beloved neighborhood that is working so hard to thrive.”
— Beth Takekawa
“I remember Donnie when I volunteered to do fire watch at the Milwaukee. He was an earnest young brother who cared then and continued to care until his untimely death.”
— Frank Irigon
“Absolutely tragic. Donnie was our Batman. He was our superhero.”
— Jamie Ford
“My favorite memory of Donnie Chin is a person who dedicated his entire life making the Chinatown/International District a better place for everybody. Regardless of what race, ethnic group or religion you belonged to—or whether a person was rich or poor, young or elderly, homeless, a transient, a criminal or a victim of a crime—if you needed medical help, Donnie was there. He was there for just not a couple of years, but for decades. I will always remember Donnie as a person who helped thousands, a very good person who save many, many lives because of his dedication and passion for the District and its people. Donnie was the District’s guardian angel.”
— Douglas Chin
“Donnie was always there…for the community. At first the Seattle police department and firefighters thought he was a kid playing EMT but they learned to respect him and IDEC and often provided them equipment. He was also a designer, turning floor by floor of the emergency center into a loft comparable to those in New York.”
— Sharon Maeda
“A lot has been said about Donnie’s selfless contributions to the people of the Chinatown International District (ID). Donnie in his inimical political incorrect style transcended racial divides. Whether an injured person was white, brown, black, or purple, Donnie did what he could to help the patient. The same principle applied to people he confronted on the street. Many of his ‘street clients’ were of all races and understandably, knew Donnie and were not members of his fan club. They were prone to irrational violent behavior which caused Donnie to master the art of confrontation with the goal of de-escalation. Above all, Donnie was a humanist and a one-of-a-kind hero. I am proud to have volunteered with him and will greatly miss Donnie and all of his quirkiness.”
— Gene Lee, IDEC Volunteer
“The best servant in the International District.”
— Hyeok Kim, Seattle Deputy Mayor
“It’s impossible to say how many lives he saved.”
— Ed Peterson, Seattle Fire Dept.
“Donnie sacrificed his life for the ID. He walked the streets to take care of us.”
— Christine Lesh
“Donnie was a mentor, friend, and teacher to many generations of IDEC volunteers. On one of our field runs there was a man down and not breathing. Donnie, after two minutes of applying CPR, said to me ‘Kim take over.’ I did so with great care and appreciated his trust in me to support him. It was quite the adrenaline rush to help save a life! Donnie took me out of my comfort zone and brought out the best in me. I will always cherish our moments together. God bless you, Donnie.”
— Kim Chinn, IDEC member
“I can’t imagine Chinatown without Donnie.”
— Bruce Harrell, Seattle City Councilmember
“Donnie was always there for us and his spirit will remain in the Chinatown/ID neighborhood he loved so much to protect. Our superhero guardian angel is gone, but never forgotten.”
— Kathy Chinn
“There will never be another Donnie Chin. Let’s preserve that memory and not look for someone to replace him.”
— Jane Nishita
“Donnie would check in on elders living alone, and bring warm socks or food if they needed them, and remind them to take their medications. Dean Wong, a buddy who was like a brother to Donnie, told me when they were young teenagers, they worked to pick up first aid and martial arts skills. Donnie would whip up a meal for the Chinatown kids playing in the alleys because their parents worked late hours. Over time, Donnie and Dean taught them first aid skills, and this helped form the team of IDEC volunteers. Donnie told me that when he was younger, the fire department or police were bothered to see this young kid show up, so would try to shoo him away. After awhile, his cultural knowledge and dedication became recognized. With recognition and experience, Donnie became a trainer to those departments and related agencies. Now, he is held in high regard.”
— Bettie Luke
“I was told that Donnie pulled a man out of a burning house, and had to fight off the man’s dog in doing so. That was the night Seattle was hit by such an intense and sudden snow storm, cars were gridlocked, and fire engines could not get through. Donnie plowed through his campaign of care with grit and humor. He’s the Golden Guardian of our Community. He’s our angel on earth.”
— Eddie Rye, community activist
“He’s there 24/7, every single day for decades. He’s keeping the streets safe. We took Donnie for granted…We are grieved… devastated. We don’t believe it’s (a) random (act of violence). He followed all the dangerous elements… No one can replace Donnie.”
— Diane Narasaki, Executive Director of Asian Counseling & Referral Service
“I am shocked and greatly saddened by Donnie’s death. Everyone loved him. Donnie was not only the protector of vulnerable people in the ID, but he personified all that was good about the community.”
— Arlene Oki
“How many hundreds of thousands of dollars did Donnie save government in being an effective and distinguished First Responder for over four decades? As an ignorant Canadian, I am flabbergasted that one of the wealthiest cities in the United States can accept being fearful of its own district late at night. The good people of Seattle, namely the Asian American community, own their city. Not a gang of thugs or indifferent politicians / corporate developers. Donnie’s life was worth more than all of this.”
— Kenda Gee’s film “Lost Years” (featured Donnie, Bettie Luke, and Alan Lau)
“My favorite memories of Donnie are when he was with the seniors. That was when you would see his gruff, rough exterior become tender and kind. He would talk at length with them to learn about their history and concerns. He was always there when they needed help or were in distress. He was a friend to all. Memories are too numerous to write down but he made a significant difference in the lives of the residents of the ID. Donnie I will miss you greatly—now who will I rant with?”
— Sue Taoka
“I know Donnie from way back in the days, precisely around the late 1970s. He saw something in me that I made him wanted to recruit me as his assistant. Throughout the decades, Donnie taught me so much about his profession as well as learning about the tough streets that no books can teach. All the years from rainy to sunny, we would talk about his memory of what Chinatown once was. It was a tough love kind of relationship. Although I resisted from wanting to dive in to his profession, he never wavered in teaching me all he knows. Being a key latch kid living in Chinatown, he took in many kids off the streets to participate in an after-school tutoring session. I am so grateful for what he provided me along with many other amenities. I considered him to be a father figure as well as a brother I never had growing up. During those times, He took me under his wing, we patrolled daily, nightly. whether it is a normal routine detox call or just hanging out, I always called IDEC as a second home. Lastly, I can say that every kid that came through his watch will always remember this man for all that he has given to us. You can never put a price on the little things.”
— Johnny Chan
“For 40 years, Donnie single-handedly dedicated his life toward making the ID a better and safer place. He could be seen at all hours of the day and night answering calls from citizens for help and responding to emergency calls put out by the police and fire departments and medical units. He knew everybody in the ID, every building in the ID, and all the pitfalls involved with emergency responses to those often crumbling buildings. Everybody in the ID knew Donnie, took him for granted, loved, and deeply respected him for his selfless devotion to helping others. Donnie would always be present at GSCCC functions providing first responder and crowd control services. GSCCC routinely honored Donnie and IDEC at its Chinese New Year Dinner and would force Donnie to come to the stage to accept a donation. Donnie would be very gracious, humble, and it was evident that Donnie did not enjoy being the center of attention.”
— Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce