The Lives They Live

Singapore's oldest living kidney donor

While the pioneer leaders were the original architects of Singapore, everyday heroes helped build society here. This is another story about such people in the series, The Lives They Live.

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Mr Wong Siak Wan, 81, a retired welder, donated a kidney to his son at the age of 79.
To this day, Mr Wong has kept a welding certificate issued by the Chiyoda Chemical Engineering and Construction Company in 1965, when he passed a welding test - one of his proudest moments. Mr Wong has also attained other welding certification, such
Mr Wong Siak Wan donated one of his kidneys to his son Jack in 2015. Said the elder Mr Wong in Mandarin: “What I did, any parent would have done. Which parent would bear to see their children suffer?” ST PHOTOS: LEE JIA WEN
To this day, Mr Wong has kept a welding certificate issued by the Chiyoda Chemical Engineering and Construction Company in 1965, when he passed a welding test - one of his proudest moments. Mr Wong has also attained other welding certification, such
Mr Wong has also attained other welding certification, such as this one issued by the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research in 1977. ST PHOTOS: LEE JIA WEN
To this day, Mr Wong has kept a welding certificate issued by the Chiyoda Chemical Engineering and Construction Company in 1965, when he passed a welding test - one of his proudest moments. Mr Wong has also attained other welding certification, such
To this day, Mr Wong has kept a welding certificate issued by the Chiyoda Chemical Engineering and Construction Company in 1965, when he passed a welding test – one of his proudest moments. ST PHOTOS: LEE JIA WEN
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Mr Wong Siak Wan has built structures with a blowtorch, welding helmet and steady hands for more than 60 years.

The 81-year-old has welded undersea oil pipes and covered walkways in Housing Board estates, and even built his own fish tank from metal bars and glass panels.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 21, 2018, with the headline Singapore's oldest living kidney donor. Subscribe