ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Mr Reuben Kee (far left) and Mr Jeremy Goh (second from left) pose for the camera with two of their dragon boat buddies. -- COURTESY OF THE GOH FAMILY

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'Making people laugh is what I do best,' the 24-year-old wrote of himself on the social networking site Friendster.

Indeed, this is how his friends remember him and what they will miss most about him.

They say he dished out humour to those he knew, and was easy-going and chatty. He smiled easily, readily and generously, and endeared himself to many.

His classmate and fellow SIM University (UniSIM) dragon boater Aaron Ang, 25, said: 'He was always making people laugh. After our training, during lunch or dinner, he would always be the centre of attention, always cracking jokes among the teammates.'

Mr Goh was a second-year student at UniSIM, pursuing a three-year UniSIM-University of London undergraduate programme in business.

Mr Ang recalled how Mr Goh's infectious 'can-do' spirit was once central to lifting the spirits of the team, when members were nervous before a race.

It was in June this year, and the UniSIM dragon boat team was preparing for its debut in the Prime Minister's Cup Challenge.

Mr Ang, the UniSIM team captain, said: 'Everyone was uptight. Jeremy told everyone: 'Don't be nervous. Doing sports is to feel good about yourself and to have fun.' What he did was to keep everyone calm.'

The joker and motivator also had a steely side. On his page on Friendster, he wrote of himself: 'Committed in whatever I do. 'Never say die' attitude.'

His tagline there reads: 'Remove obstacles at all cost'. Such a mantra probably gave him the drive to pursue his many interests.

Mr Ang said: 'He was juggling the school team, the national team, studies and work. He would even train when exams were near and still be able to cope well with his studies.'

Mr Goh worked part-time as an administrative assistant at the Singapore Sports Council, yet also found time for other watersports, motocross biking and photography.

Tributes to him have started pouring onto his Friendster webpage. One read:

'Your bubbly ways and laughter, your cheekiness and childishness, your charm and wit, your love for life and the way you lived it, were true to your style till the end. You died doing what you loved and in that, I take some consolation.'

His family remembers him as a loving and filial son.

Said his brother Goh Tze Hong, 27: 'He often stayed at home in the evenings with my mother. I work late and my father, who has his own business, also works late. Jeremy volunteered to stay at home and did it willingly.'

He added that outside the home, his younger brother enjoyed being with people, and was active in the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association (Safsa) dragon boating team.

The older Mr Goh said: 'I think what he enjoyed most was the team spirit and camaraderie. He also liked to maintain his health so he was physically active.'

wycin@sph.com.sg

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JUDITH TAN