‘Nothing short of a miracle’: Tommy Koh lauds car crash survivor on his graduation from NUS
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh (centre) hosted Ting Jun Heng (second from left) for lunch to congratulate him on his graduation.
PHOTO: TOMMY KOH/FACEBOOK
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE - National University of Singapore (NUS) student Ting Jun Heng – who suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident that killed his friend five years ago
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, veteran diplomat Tommy Koh said he hosted lunch for Mr Ting, 27, and congratulated him on his graduation. Professor Koh is former rector of Tembusu College, where all four victims of the car crash studied.
Prof Koh said he also invited to lunch then Master of Tembusu College Gregory Clancey; Associate Professor Lina Lim, who was in charge of Mr Ting’s college house; and Dr Margaret Tan, the college’s director of programmes.
In his post, Prof Koh recalled how Mr Ting’s friend, Ms Kathy Ong Kai Ting, 19, died.
He said: “Five years ago, Jun Heng and three of his friends from Tembusu College were involved in a tragic car accident. One of the students, Kathy, was killed. Jun Heng was badly injured and in a coma. In nothing short of a miracle, he survived and has graduated.
“We will continue to help Jun Heng find a job and heal from his injuries. Congratulations and good luck, Jun Heng.”
Mr Ting told ST that the accident had hampered his studies in numerous ways.
“My mother had to accompany me to school because of my mobility challenges,” he said, adding that he took more time to complete his assignments due to his reduced typing speed.
His woes were compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which classes migrated online. “(I had) difficulty following the instructions on Zoom,” he said.
These challenges delayed his graduation, originally slated for 2021, and led to feelings of isolation. “I was a fairly social person before the accident but my late graduation resulted in me losing my circle of friends as support, resulting in loneliness.”
Mr Ting expressed complicated feelings about his recent graduation. “I feel more relieved than jubilant, honestly. (It feels) like a great burden off my back.”
He now plans to find work in social services. “I have received a tremendous amount of help over the last five years and I want to give back to the community. I want to tell other brain injury patients: There is still a future if you persevere. You are not alone.”
Prof Koh, who founded Art:Dis, a charity for people with disabilities, told ST: “It is still tough for a disabled person to find a good job in Singapore.
“Things are, however, getting better and more employers are willing to hire talented but disabled persons.”
He has offered to act as referee for Mr Ting in his job applications.
On April 19, 2018, Ms Ong, Mr Ting and two other friends – Mr Zon Lim Thou Jung and Mr Lim Jin Jie – got into a cab at Clementi Mall in Commonwealth Avenue West and were headed to Tembusu College in NUS.
Their cab was making a discretionary right turn at the Clementi Road junction when a Nissan crashed into them and sent both cars spinning.
The accident occurred at the junction of Commonwealth Avenue West and Clementi Road on April 19, 2018.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Ms Ong died from multiple injuries
Mr Ting suffered a traumatic brain injury and arrived at the hospital in a vegetative state. After the accident, he had a limp and speech impediment.
The cabby was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail fined $5,000 and banned from driving for two years.
