When a 52-year-old woman was killed in a traffic accident in Jurong 2 weeks ago, her family must undoubtedly have been devastated.
However, a kind gesture from none other than Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong managed to lighten their spirits a bit.
He surprised the family by sending them a letter expressing his condolences, revealing that he had met the deceased twice.
Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam also visited the wake with his wife, further comforting the family.
Ms Or Cheng Khim, a pre-school teacher’s assistant and freelance balloon sculptor, was hit by a lorry on 12 Jan.
The fatal accident happened near the junction of Yuan Ching Road and Yung Kuang Road.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, she sadly passed away in hospital 2 days later.
Ms Or’s death caught the nation’s attention, and many people felt sad for the family, especially since she was rushing home to celebrate her son’s O-level results.
One of the people who was moved was PM Lee, so much so that he penned a letter to Ms Or’s father.
According to The New Paper (TNP), who spoke to her sister Samantha, her father was surprised to get the letter from our Prime Minister and his wife.
In it, they offered their condolences.
The Prime Minister also told her father that he recalled meeting Ms Or twice.
That was during 2 private events, in 2018 and 2019.
Being an avid balloon sculptor, Ms Or had helped build balloon walls for them.
As the family also agreed to donate her organs – kidneys, liver, and cornea – Mr Lee also acknowledged the decision.
Samantha said her father was happy that his daughter had been recognised by the PM.
PM Lee’s wife, Mdm Ho Ching, also knew her sister, Samantha told Zaobao.
That’s because Ms Or had been a volunteer at Bukit Panjang Butterfly Garden.
Mdm Ho, who loves butterflies, would send the volunteers teacups with butterfly patterns.
Mr Lee wasn’t the only local politician who was moved by Ms Or’s death.
Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife attended her wake, Zaobao reported.
Mr Tharman, who’s the MP that represents Ms Or’s ward, also offered help to her family.
Former Woodlands MP Amrin Amin, in a Facebook post on 20 Jan, said he also paid respects to Ms Or.
He sent his condolences and sympathised with their pain.
From a photo that Mr Amrin shared, Ms Or’s wake was fittingly decorated with all sorts of balloons.
Samantha told TNP that she’s touched that Singaporeans remember her sister.
Though Ms Or’s demise has caused pain to her family, they can hopefully be consoled by the fact that she touched everybody she met.
That includes those at the very top of our Government, who remember her fondly after meeting her.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to family of the deceased, who will surely live on in their hearts and memories.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
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