Generation Grit

'Miracle baby' survives brain trauma to make it in life

Tan Ruming survived abuse as a baby and endured a lonely childhood. But he found his passion and success in entrepreneurship. This is the latest in a series on millennials who have overcome the odds.

Mr Tan Ruming, 25, suffered from shaken baby syndrome, which left him with a serious brain trauma and eye problems. Today, he runs a successful tuition business.
Mr Tan Ruming, who suffered from shaken baby syndrome and developed eye problems in his childhood, is behind SmileTutor, an agency that matches students to tutors. It has an annual revenue of over $1 million.
Mr Tan Ruming, who suffered from shaken baby syndrome and developed eye problems in his childhood, is behind SmileTutor, an agency that matches students to tutors. It has an annual revenue of over $1 million. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Theresa Tan
Senior Social Affairs Correspondent
Updated
Dec 11, 2019, 06:15 AM
Published
Dec 11, 2019, 05:00 AM
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As a baby, Mr Tan Ruming, or Rum as he is known, almost died after being shaken violently.

The injury was most probably perpetrated by a domestic worker at the time, and it left him with shaken baby syndrome, a serious brain trauma suffered by babies when they are forcefully shaken.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 11, 2019, with the headline 'Miracle baby' survives brain trauma to make it in life. Subscribe

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