People are arguably at their most vulnerable when they experience great loss in our lives.
Upon learning that his regular customer’s mother had passed away, taxi driver Chua Poh San literally went the extra mile to accompany the former as he went about spreading his mother’s ashes.
The passenger, Mr Choy Kok Kee, and his wheelchair-bound mother were Mr Chua’s frequent customers. He proved to be reliable driver who was always happy to help them.
For the kind gesture, Mr Chua received the Transport Gold Outstanding Award from the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM).
62-year-old ComfortDelGro taxi driver Chua Poh San first picked up the mother and son in 2019, according to Shin Min Daily News.
During the ride, Mr Choy related to the cabbie that many taxis refused to take them because his mother was in a wheelchair and needed help getting in the car.
Thus, they felt fortunate to meet Mr Chua, who readily helped. The Straits Times reported that Mr Chua even helped to fold and secure the wheelchair in the boot.
Source: Singapore Kindness Movement on Facebook
When they reached the destination, Mr Chua gave his phone number to Mr Choy so the pair always had a reliable driver to call upon.
Mr Choy did so in May this year, but unfortunately bearing bad news. He requested Mr Chua take him to Mandai Crematorium to collect his deceased mother’s ashes.
Seeing Mr Choy’s lonely figure heading for the crematorium, Mr Chua went the extra mile and accompanied him in.
Afterwards, the passenger asked if Mr Chua could take him to Changi so he could scatter his mother’s ashes.
Mr Choy feared the cabbie had some reservations about ferrying his mother’s ashes to a sea burial, but Mr Chua readily agreed to help.
Source: Singapore Kindness Movement on Facebook
He then waited for Mr Choy to finish scattering the ashes and drove him to eat a meal together.
Finally, Mr Chua ferried him home after accompanying him for half a day. The taxi driver of over ten years also refused to charge Mr Choy any extra waiting fees.
His kindness moved Mr Choy, who wrote a commendation in to ComfortDelGro.
The National Kindness Awards, which includes the Transport Gold Awards, is now in its 24th year.
2023 saw 1,008 transport staff receive the award, meant to recognise “outstanding service staff”.
SKM presented 972 of them with the Transport Gold Commendation Award. They awarded the Transport Gold Outstanding Award to just 36 recipients, including Mr Chua.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
“Everything comes from the heart. We are human. We understand the feeling of loss,” Mr Chua said in an SKM video.
Another great showcase of kindness recently occurred when a Grab driver helped a woman gave birth in his car.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook and Singapore Kindness Movement on Facebook.
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