The day S'pore gained a hero, we lost our beloved cousin

The Day Singapore gained a hero, we lost our beloved cousin.....

14th April was just any other lazy saturday morning. The phone rang and mom said the found han han. I thought she meant "found him...and in hospital now"

No. Found him. His body.

It was hard to believe this. I juz saw him couple weeks ago at Ron's ROM ceremony.

Han was from the elite squadron of the Singapore Police Coast Guards. While on the operation to arrest illegal immigrants, his patrol vessel capsize after a high-speed collision with the illegal immigrants' boat.

If i were to write this blog on that eventful day, it would have sounded angry topped with loads of "whys". But few days passed with the funeral cortege and ceremony yesterday (17 Apr), I have thus stop asking why. All we know.... is the result. In Buddhist doctrine, it is perhaps just fate.

The day Singapore hailed its hero, we lost our beloved cousin.

Indeed we missed him. I am proud of you, not just because you are hailed as a hero, but you were that perfect guy with smiles, the great husband, the great daddy, our great cousin, and to sum it all, a Great Person.

Han, I will always remember your smiles, your laughters, your words and the days we we had in our vacation working stint at Hoshigaoka when we were young. Those were really fun days. As Rick (our friend from Hoshigaoka) mentioned, we will always remember the "plane (plain) rice" joke. You brought us laughters, Han. We will miss you. This, i wrote and dedicated for you.

"In the mahagony casket you lie,

Words you've said I kept in mind,

Angry words unspoken, i can only sigh,

Only to wish you well from this other side"

The funeral cortege was grand. He was given a full honour procession. There were more than 500 police officers attended, and a eurology delivered at the crematorium. The flag and beret was presented to my cousin in law. On the way from the house to the crematorium, we were escorted by nearly 10 traffic police that ensures we had a smooth journey there without any delays. The police band played a solemn repertoir, while we walked the hearse to the front of the crematorium hall.

Looking at the casket being pushed into the crematorium, just made me unable to control my tears.

Rest well, Han. I will remember the words you said. The only-cousins-vacation that we always talked about was not realised when you were around. We will try to make it happened, and stay even closer as cousins. The last all-cousins-fun-day that we had was a chinese new year night couple years ago, where we went to the billard parlous at Bukit Timah, and then a hearty supper of roti prata a stone's throw away. Those were great memories....

Vince send me the following which i appreciated alot.....

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"Indeed, for those of us that subscribe to the belief of a Higher Being looking down on our daily activities, having active control over our very existence on this earth and plotting our every step each day, it is perhaps very difficult for us to understand why things happen, without the benefit of foresight and inner knowledge of the bigger scheme of things. However, we are blessed with hindsight, and the ability to recollect and evaluate our every action and thought. It is these abilities that make us humans, and it is these same abilities that will enable us to appreciate what we had experienced, and to endeavour to enhance where we find ourselves to be lacking – whether it is in our relationships with friends, family and loved ones. It is unfortunate that we almost always only will recollect and evaluate when we lose something or someone close to us. Perhaps we should endeavour to do the same with what we have now, and to be a better person to those who are amongst us.

I share your loss, and I am sure that your cousin's demise will provide lessons to those he has touched in the things he had done and words he had spoken. Let his memory be a motivation to do better for the living, and not a perpetual reason for prolonged mourning."

~Vince~

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