Kimberly Wang leaves 987FM after 14 years, colleagues cry at farewell party

987FM DJ Kimberly Wang took to Instagram on Monday (Nov 3) to share some bittersweet moments from her last day at the local radio station after 14 years.

In a video of her final message on air, Kimberly teared up as she spoke: "Thank you so much for celebrating this journey with me and cheering for me much louder than I could even imagine. I think all your love so far has given me the courage to feel like I made the right choice, and that moving from this point on, I can do absolutely anything."

Hoping that her departure from her comfort zone would be a positive sign for others in a similar position, the 34-year-old assured them that "nothing in life is too difficult or scary" as long as they have friends around.

Her 987FM colleagues held a party for her, preparing cakes and a certificate to celebrate her "graduation" from the job.

DJ Avery Aloysius is seen hugging Kimberly in one image collage, hiding his face from the camera and seemingly rubbing away tears from his eyes.

In another video, DJ Natasha Faisal hugged customised body pillows of Kimberly and Gerald Koh while sobbing and was comforted by the latter thereafter.

In the caption of her post, Kimberly further reflected: "When I made this decision a while ago, I wondered which was scarier - stepping away from what I've known for so long, or never stepping outside of my comfort zone to explore what else could be. Then I realised, growth and exploration are my favourite parts of being alive - so here we are."

"In the past week after I announced my decision, I've been humbled by the love you've given me. It occurred to me that being able to count down to my last day on air is such a phenomenal privilege. There are so many times in life when we miss our last moments. The last time we talk to a friend, the last time we visit our favourite restaurant, the last time we see someone."

On Oct 24, Kimberly announced her exit from Mediacorp, whom she had worked with for 25 years as a child TV host and actress in the past.

She wrote in an Instagram post then: "A big part of growing up is becoming independent and learning to thrive in new environments. To all the ones who have showered me with love and care, thank you for allowing me to experience so many firsts here.

"As I forge my own path and embark on new adventures, I carry all the best memories with me. Even the one when I fell asleep and accidentally got locked in a studio set once as a child (I know that story still goes around in here and it is not an urban myth. Don't worry, it was brief)!"

Gerald Koh, Kimberly's Get Out co-host, dedicated a touching Instagram post to her: "She beat my previous radio partner to be my longest radio partner by 1.5 years! We did the mornings and evenings for nearly a decade and I think we know each other's quirks, likes and dislikes more than ourselves.

"It's all locked in memories now because it was gonna be our last time ever sitting in the same radio conty talking to fans who probably tuned in during their growing-up years to catch a sliver of nostalgia."

Moving forward, Kimberly stated that she would be continuing to pursue entrepreneurship, working with the local jewellery brand Curious Creatures.

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kristy.chua@asiaone.com