Following this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to look at the group photo. Ming Keong is the 2nd one from the right. His brother Ming Hui is the 2nd from the left....

I attended the funeral at Singapore Casket this afternoon with Ian, John, Min Jie and Mun Hin. Mok Jia Yong's mother and sister, Jia Min, attended too.

I was very sad. I cannot imagine how much worse his family must be feeling, if I, just a mere volunteer who have only met them on a few occasions, am already feeling the grief and the sense of loss. His mother looked distraught and his dad was trying to hold back his grief. Ming Hui tried to be strong too and he was in fact very strong. I hate to even imagine what might be going on in his mind. When the monk came for the final round of chants, the only person that could stand at the altar to hold the incense was his younger sister, Yoke Min. When the monk told everyone to move forward to take their last look and to pay their last respects, all their relatives huddled beside his casket and wept. His mother broke down, so did his father. And then Ming Hui cried too.

Ming Keong was cremated at Bright Hill Crematorium. His sister did not speak at all from the moment I saw her this morning till the time I left. She just moaned softly and cried. She's only Pri 3.

His father told us that he really enjoyed the Malacca trip and was looking forward to the next trip. His demise was sudden, although the family was aware that this was the final outcome of DMD.

I am glad that we did the Malacca trip. I am glad that the brothers attended our camps. I remember them on their first camp about 5 or 6 years ago at Sembawang Sea Sports Club. Ming Keong was the shy one. Both brothers could not sleep and wanted to sit up on their mattresses. It was their first camp and the first time they slept away from home without their parents and slept out in the open. We even took them on boat rides around the Seletar Islands. I am glad that HFC did this for them.

The reason why I have been and am still in HFC for such a long time is simply because I believe that we made a difference. No matter how small, we made a difference. This alone is my drive to want to stay in the club. The friendships we have fostered with our Happy Friends may not be a close one, but it certainly is a significant one. I have learnt more from these kids than they have from me or from us, for that matter.

I cried today, not because of the emotional scene at the funeral, but because Ming Keong is a friend. Someone whom I see coming back for subsequent camps. Someone I would look forward to meeting for whatever other of our MD camps. Someone I will miss for future camps. I felt the grieve of having to say goodbye to a friend.

Rest In Peace, Ming Keong.

Ah Huay jie jie