More than his mistakes: Teenager rebuilds life through squash, teacher and parental support

SINGAPORE – Two years ago, Richard Durrani Vaz, 16, was struggling to show up for school.

His parents had separated when he was in Primary 5 and he moved out of the family home with his mother into a rental flat, where they lived for almost five years.

The emotional toll from being away from his father soon spilt over to school, where his sense of direction was starting to slip away.

His elder sister, 28, and brother, 30, are working and live on their own.

“I missed my father a lot, and my relationship with my mother went downhill. We got into arguments constantly,” he said.

The transition from primary to secondary level at St Andrew’s School was also not easy on him.

The jump in academic demands, coupled with new subjects such as computer applications and food and consumer education, left him struggling to cope.

His mother was also having financial difficulties at the time and was unable to provide him with some things he wanted, like court shoes and racquets for squash practice – a new interest he had developed in secondary school.

“I felt very lost in life and kept everything to myself because I did not feel ready to talk to anyone about what I was going through,” he said.

In a span of two months, beginning in August 2023, those struggles would culminate in a series of rash decisions.

A Secondary 2 student at the time, Richard stole iPhones from retail shops and bicycles from the void decks of HDB blocks. Five theft charges were eventually brought against him.

His mother, Madam Mira Semiarjo, 53, who works in childcare, said she was unaware of what he had been up to and was shocked the first time the police turned up at their home, looking for him.

“I was so scared and nervous for him; about what was going to happen to my son,” she said.

She avoided confronting him in case they got into another argument. But as the gravity of the situation sank in, she reached out to Richard’s father for help.

“It shocked me. I didn’t expect my son to end up doing all these things... it was totally out of character,” said Mr Steve Durrani Vaz, 68.

The turnaround

Instead of reprimanding him, Mr Vaz tried a different approach.

He reconnected with Richard by showing interest in his activities, like squash, and steered clear of confrontation over the offences.

Holding back tears, Richard told The Straits Times that a conversation he had with his father at the end of 2023 showed him that he need not live with the burden of his mistakes.

“We were going to get food and he put his arms around my shoulders. He said, ‘It’s all right, son. You’ll move on. You’ll get this thing done and over with,’” said Richard, adding that it gave him hope that all was not lost.

At school, Richard was also not written off.

He is the fourth generation in the family to study at St Andrew’s School (Secondary), or SASS. His great-grandfather, grandfather and father, as well as his elder brother, are old boys of the school.

Though his attendance worsened from September 2023, near the end of his Sec 2 year, teachers from SASS repeatedly reached out, conducting home visits and encouraging him to return.

One teacher who saw his potential early was Ms Ng Pei Shing, who oversees the school’s squash club.

Unlike most players in the club, Richard had no background in squash, having played badminton as a co-curricular activity (CCA) in primary school at St Andrew’s School (Junior).

With no badminton CCA available at SASS, he decided to try a different racquet sport.

“He came in with zero experience, but he told me he wanted to be among the top five players,” said Ms Ng. “That confidence and resilience stood out. I felt strongly that this was a boy I must not let go.”

But after helping the school clinch its first squash silver medal in the National School Games C Division in August 2023, Richard stopped attending classes.

He was not receptive when both his form teachers went to his home to encourage him to come back to school. So Ms Ng asked if she could step in to try.

Determined to reach him, she sought his mother’s permission to visit their home and persisted even when Richard avoided her messages. “I waited outside his place for a few hours. Then he finally came down, and we had a very long conversation and chat,” she said.

During their heart-to-heart talk, Ms Ng negotiated small, achievable steps with him, by first asking him to return for just one squash session. Richard agreed to attend a friendly match, which reaffirmed her belief that he had a genuine passion for the sport.

Further compromises were worked out between the school, Richard and his parents, including adjustments to help him feel more supported in class.

By Seconday 3, his return had stabilised, and Ms Ng appointed Richard vice-captain of the B Division team, a role she believed would give him purpose and keep him anchored in school.

“If he could push himself from having no background to becoming one of the top players, I knew he could lead others too,” she said.

Richard said he felt deeply supported by SASS teachers, including the school’s year head, Mr Chuah Chongxian, who offered to walk into school with him if Richard felt nervous or uncomfortable walking alone.

Said Richard: “These small but meaningful actions made me feel cared for and encouraged me to keep moving forward.”

He added: “Despite my bad decisions outside of school, they always made me feel welcomed, like I still belonged.”

Starting anew and inspiring others

Resolved to start afresh at the beginning of his Sec 3 year in 2024, Richard decided to put the past behind him and make the best of his last couple of years at SASS.

His relationship with his family improved, especially after he and his mother moved back in with his father in early 2024.

“Richard became a totally different person. We can communicate now even if there are disagreements and he includes us in the things he does,” said his mother.

Back in school, Richard was more responsible and focused on his work. As the newly minted vice-captain, he trained with his squash team consistently to show his commitment.

Under his leadership, the SASS B Division squash team clinched another first silver medal for the school at the National School Games in August 2025.

Beyond competition, Richard became a mentor to younger teammates, offering advice and encouragement during training sessions.

In Sec 4, he agreed to share his personal journey during a school assembly in January. His candid account of struggle and perseverance struck a chord with juniors, sparking a surge in applications for the squash CCA.

“Usually, we’d get about eight Sec 1 students signing up to join squash each year. After Richard’s speech, we had 20 students keen to join the club,” said Ms Ng.

His transformation was also recognised through multiple accolades. These included the Singapore Schools Sports Council Colours Award for outstanding student athletes, which he received from 2023 to 2025.

SASS presented him with the school’s Kheng Whay Award in 2025, for students nominated by their teachers for their resilience and outstanding contributions.

He also received the Singapore Olympic Foundation-Peter Lim Scholarship in 2024 and 2025, an initiative that provides cash awards to support the sport and school-related expenses of young, promising student athletes.

Having received his N-level results on Dec 18, Richard is now looking ahead. He will begin a Higher Nitec course in passenger services at ITE College Central in 2026, after being accepted through the Early Admissions Exercise.

He hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a cabin crew member, so he can see the world.

“A bad decision is only one moment in your life,” said Richard. “It doesn’t define your entire self-worth.”