He was cheerful to the end

He was cheerful to the end

The retiree was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in 2013.

Afraid that Mr Chan Kuan Choon, 79, who had a weak heart, would not be able to take the news, his family kept it from him.

Mr Chan, who retired 20 years ago from his job as a ship repairman, died in a road accident on Saturday at around 10am - almost two and a half years after he was diagnosed with the terminal disease.

The electric bicycle he was riding and an 18-tonne trailer collided at the junction of Delta Road and Kampung Baru. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police arrested the 62-year-old truck driver, who is out on bail.

At the wake held at Bukit Purmei Road, his daughter-in-law, who declined to be named, said it was Mr Chan's routine every Saturday to take his electric bicycle out to Chinatown to meet his friends for tea.

The family believes he was on his way there when the accident happened.

SIMPLE LIFE

Describing Mr Chan as a man who led a simple life, his daughter-in-law said that he bought the bicycle two years ago, when his legs started getting weak.

His widow, Madam Huang Jinyu, 73, told the Chinese evening paper Lianhe Wanbao that he helped with the housework and took care of the grandchildren.

His daughter-in-law added: "He liked listening to Chinese opera on the radio and getting together with old friends."

Despite his cancer condition, Mr Chan had no symptoms - he did not cough or vomit.

Madam Huang said that according to the doctor, Mr Chan was unfit for chemotherapy due to his age and his heart condition.

"We took him to see a Chinese physician instead and he was put on traditional Chinese medicine.

"He always thought that the drug was for his heart," she said, adding that he was very cheerful to the end.

Mr Chan's daughter-in-law stressed that the family does not want to accord blame.

"We don't know who had the right of way or who was wrong," she said.

"We just want to know what actually happened. We hope eyewitnesses will come forward to help the police investigate. This way, our family can have closure"

Mr Chan's funeral will be held tomorrow.

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juditht@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on October 6, 2015.
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