For more than 20 minutes, he hit his head against the road and tried to bite off his tongue. He was finally restrained by paramedics.

The tragedy unfolded at about 10.15am.

Madam Chan Yoke Chan, 61, a member of Paddlers In The Pink, a dragon boat team comprising breast cancer survivors, had just finished training at Marina Reservoir in Kallang.

She was crossing Sims Avenue towards Kallang MRT station when she was knocked down by a taxi. She was about 50m from a pedestrian crossing when she was hit.

Eyewitness Sun Ai Cheng, 29, who was waiting for a bus on the opposite side of the road, said in Mandarin: 'I heard a loud bang and when I turned around, the woman was tumbling from the taxi. She was thrown 6 to 7m from the taxi.'

The other members of the dragon boat team were changing in the toilets at Marina Reservoir when the accident happened.

A passer-by recognised Madam Chan's pink shoes and her paddle - trademarks of the team - and informed them about it. They rushed to the scene.

At 11.05am, Madam Chan's husband, Mr Chan Gee Kan, 65, and their 26-year-old daughter arrived. He looked for witnesses to the accident before the reality of his wife's death hit him.

He started banging his head on the road and had to be held back by passers-by, including The Sunday Times team who was there, and family members.

He then tried to bite his own tongue and stab himself with his keys, and asked a police officer to hand him a gun to end his life.

'I have no choice, I want to accompany her. She will be so lonely,' he cried.

Four men had to pull him back and he was later strapped down to a stretcher-wheelchair by paramedics to calm him down.

Paddlers In The Pink members were shocked by the death.

Mrs Angelina Ong, 53, its team manager, said of Madam Chan: 'She was so dear to us, like a family member. She was the most wonderful person you could have as a friend.'

The team would usually have lunch together after their Saturday morning training but Madam Chan had left earlier saying she had to meet her daughter.

The 63-year-old taxi driver was in a state of shock.

He apologised profusely to Madam Chan's husband before the latter's breakdown, and the two men finally shook hands.

Police said the taxi driver has been arrested for causing death by a negligent act.

awcw@sph.com.sg

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