Tampines accident: Parents still miss the boys

SINGAPORE - A year after an accident took the lives of their two sons Nigel and Donovan, Mr Francis Yap and his wife are determined to carry on with their lives.

Last November, the couple moved from their four-room flat in Tampines to Choa Chu Kang, hoping to start afresh.

Mrs Yap said "Our Tampines house was far away from his workplace, I also wasn't comfortable being alone at home after the accident so we moved."

"When he drives me to my mother's place, we have to pass by that street in Tampines, but I tell him to go around it."

"He always tells me to pick myself up where I fell, I said yes I understand, but I need time."

"I will go back to the spot, but I need more time because I was the first to see them there at the time."

Since the accident, Madam Ang has left her job and start volunteering at her church, helping to distribute food to needy families and teaching aerobics to the elderly.

She and her husband also go for regular grief counseling.

"My children's accident made me realise how short and fragile life is, we never know what's going to happen tomorrow. So I wanted to volunteer and give back to society."

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But every so often the very painful memory of losing their two boys still haunt the couple.

"Sometimes he cries alone, I cry alone too. After crying, I go to to sleep and when I wake up the next day, I'm alright, life goes on."

Mr Yap added "We try not to upset each other, when she cries she doesn't tell me. When I cry, I don't tell her too."

"When we see each other with red swollen eyes, I will ask if she cried, we have a mutual understanding."

"If we cry together, we will continue to be sad."

On Monday, the cement mixer truck driver who caused the deaths of their two sons was sentenced to two weeks' jail plus a five-year driving ban.

For the couple, the news bring them a much-needed closure.

Mr Yap commented "When I first heard the news, I didn't think about whether the sentence was too light or heavy, I'm just happy for it to come to an end."

"Even if he gets a heavy sentence, my sons won't come back to life."

"He must be feeling bad too so I hope he can move on."

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