壹傳媒創辦人黎智英的73歲生日，今年要在冷冰冰的囚室度過。不少讀者特別向他送生日祝福，前日生日的「香港人金堅」表示決定將生日願望一併送給黎生，讓他今年有兩個生日願望。有人形容黎智英有如聖經故事中的大衞，對抗巨人歌利亞。另有人憶起留學時，姐姐空郵一整箱《蘋果日報》，囑他細讀。有25年死忠讀者指《蘋果》陪她度過每個早上，已是生活不可缺少的環節。他們紛紛感謝黎生的付出，「我會將你勇敢嘅事話畀我嘅下一代知」。
黎生：
你好呀！多謝你為香港堅守那麼多！用心維繫新聞自由！繼續發揮文字的力量。 辛苦你了。誰想過做新聞竟然像打仗一般，亦如此受委屈。 謝謝你。 說句放棄很容易，堅守才是最難，你真的很叻。 昨（前）天也是我的生日，也知道明（今）天是你的生日。 祝你生日快樂。 也將我的生日願望給你，讓你多一個生日願望，亦希望會成就。 祝福你，願你在冰冷的地方及冰冷的天氣下，感受到香港人的溫暖。 願你平安， 願耶穌賜你平安。
香港人金堅上
黎先生你好：
在《蘋果日報》看到一文說你12月8日生日， 很難過你要在獄中渡過生辰， 特別是在你奮鬥了半生， 完全應該安享晚年的時候。
謝謝你為香港所做的一切，是你的風骨， 讓我這港豬變成蘋果日報的忠實讀者; 早前看到你接受訪問掉眼淚, 我也跟著淚流不止， 不期然想到的是蘇軾的 “菊殘猶有傲霜枝”。
慶幸香港有你，感激蘋果日報上下的堅持不懈。
在此祝你身體健康，正義早日得以伸張， 先生你可以儘快重獲自由， 牆外的我們定必一直支持蘋果日報！
敬愛你的Ellie
黎生：
最近嘅新聞的確令人感到氣餒
祝願香港人能繼續同你同蘋果日報一樣
「無懼打壓，勿忘初心」，
好人一生平安。
與肥佬黎同月同日生的香港人上
Hello, Wonderful Staff of Mr. Lai,
So nice to have this chance to send a message to Mr. Lai through you here! Yes, all of us are sicken to our stomach to see the latest injustice and utter nonsense inflicted on him!! Please let him know how much we/I are praying/sending him blessings 24/7.
Thanks to my older sister, she was the one to introduce me to your paper when I was in high school. Back then, her high school teacher encouraged her to submit essays to your paper - as a volunteer, I think.
After high school, I left HK to study abroad. Mr. Lai would be pleased ( i hope) to know that my sister sent me a whole orange-crate box full of your papers - via airmail (it was VERY expensive for her :-) ) In her letters, she insisted I read every copy...
Though I’m “free”; however, mentally and psychologically, I’m not free as I worry about you, the 12 young people locked up in China, and the latest 3 people locked up in jail -- they stop at NOTHING!!
Please stay strong and healthy -- know that we care - the world over!! We await your speedy release...
Best Regards,
WY
敬愛的黎先生：
希望你不介意我又來信。坦白說，不太清楚可以為你做甚麼，所以給你寫幾句說話可能就是最直接能做的事吧。
壹傳媒怎樣改變許多人的想法，相信你已經聽過很多，所以就不重複了。反而今天想說的是，不論是曾經或現在在壹傳媒工作的，俱說那裡是令人又愛又恨的機構。在這個越來越以利益掛帥的社會，實在很少遇見這麼令員工上心的僱主。真希望可以親耳聽你解說這個現象是如何造成的。
在內，請你多多保重。願主看顧你，保護你，賜你出人意外的平安，更願祂早日把惡人加於你身上的枷鎖都一一摔碎。
掛念你的手足上
黎生：
我屋企有一個標準藍絲，由細到大都聽佢講你點攪亂香港。細個唔識，一味聽佢講，所以對你印象麻麻，更遑論接觸蘋果日報。
到依家大個咗，接觸多咗，知道你為香港付出不少，明明可以離開呢塊荒謬之地，但仍然留守響度陪伴香港人。謝謝你嘅付出，我會將你勇敢嘅事話畀我嘅下一代知，等佢哋知道有一個伯伯咁為我哋嘅家。
你一定要撐落去，無論如何都要。
香港人，等緊你。
黎生：
已故的辛康納利愈老愈型，雖然黎智英外型及不上，但在精神上就過之而無不及。
敬重你為香港的付出，會飲水思源而又咁堅持嘅人真係鳳毛麟角。
梁燕雯
Dear Jimmy,
You are a hero for standing up to the CCP as they try to crush the spirit of Hong Kong. You use your very public position to maximize the negative publicity the CCP receives daily at home and abroad for violating the Basic Law and moving to deprive Hong Kong people of their basic human rights. The negative consequence is the only meaningful approach to compelling the CCP to even slow their relentless and immoral move to suppress Hong Kong people.
It is totally an asymmetrical battle - you are the David to their Goliath, but you are an inspiration to many. You could leave to a safer place but this is your home and you have chosen to defend it. Your courage provides strength to many people who will continue to fight for democracy and human rights which are concomitant.
Stay strong Jimmy, Hong Kong is a better place because of people like you.
Catherine LaJeunesse Vermont