As Mei Sou of the Hallmark show “When Calls the Heart,” Amanda Wong’s character was no stranger to bullying. When she first came to Hope Valley, she was running from Geoffrey Lewis (Chris Cope). Despite her not having feelings for him, he forged a marriage certificate. He then ordered her to be arrested for abandonment after he found her in Hope Valley. However, despite his attempts to control her and force her to become his wife, she refused to allow him to bully her into submission.
Wong’s childhood troubles with teasing were obviously much different than her character’s. However, she was still thrilled when she received a message from a 13-year-old Chinese American girl from Tennessee who felt seen — thanks to Wong and her portrayal of Mei.
Amanda Wong Recalled Being Bullied for Being Different
At the 2025 Hearties Family Reunion, Amanda Wong spoke in a panel about getting a letter from a 13-year-old Chinese American fan. The girl loved that her favorite show had a person, Mei, who looked like her.
“So, I remember being 13. I was a little bullied and a lot teased. I loved ancient civilizations and fantasy, and kids didn’t really like that about me,” Wong told the audience. “But I remember thinking at the time, ‘If they just got to know me, they’d be nice.’ I found solace in books at the time, and I read a lot. And I felt like the writer understood me, and I felt seen by the stories they depicted. And I thought, ‘You know what, I’m going to be a writer one day. Because I want to do that for one person. If I could help them feel seen, then my mission is complete in life.”
“But I also thought, I want to be a stem cell researcher, an astronaut, a marine biologist,” she continued. “Fast forward a bunch of years, and I am in a profession where I’m allowed to do all of those careers. I am in a community of Hearties who love and support us. I share the stage with these amazing people who are my friends and now my family. And I get this sweet message from a girl from Tennessee, and I feel very full and like my mission is complete.”
The Girl’s Mother Posted Tearfully How Much Mei Meant to Her
Wong didn’t post exactly what the message was, but in the comments, a Tennessee mother named Kristin Peddicord wrote, “Don’t get me cryin’ again y’all! This meant the world to my daughter.”
Peddicord had posted on Instagram about how she and her oldest daughter loved “When Calls the Heart” and were huge fans. When they found out they were selected to go to the Hearties Family Reunion, they were ecstatic. She also revealed “another thing that made this show so special.”
“My daughter is from China, and they brought in a character called Mei. And she is Asian. My daughter — on her favorite show, getting that representation: icing on the cake.”
