The world of Tzu Chi May-June 2022 (Vol.141)

2022 • 06 38 eople New Year of 2021, Yap Choong Lin (third from right) and family happily taking a family portrait in new clothes. From the left, youngest daughter, Julie; youngest son, Jacky; wife, Kok Kim Tho; eldest son, Jason; eldest daughter, Joey. [Photo courtesy of Kok Kim Tho] his makes her proud. “He had nothing of his own. He constantly sacrificed himself for the wellness of others. I hope more people could learn from him,” she said. While it will take some time to cope with the loss, she took much comfort that her father had been very happy in these past few years, leaving behind beautiful memories for them. To the youngest son, Jacky, his father had been strict with him during his childhood. However, they became closer after he started high school and sometimes even got to work alongside his father, learning and gaining experience from him. He could not hold back his tears at the mention and recall of the accident. Kim Tho explained that this child could not believe that his father had passed away. At the site, he had cried and screamed for his father, grasping and rubbing his hands with all his might, trying to bring him back to life. He went from being desperate and helpless to grief and despair, when he felt his father’s hands gradually losing its warmth. He only texted his family to break the distressing news to them after about ten minutes. Kim Tho’s heart ached at the thought of her son having to witness his father’s final moments in such a traumatic manner. She said, “His heart must have been broken! He told me that his father was gone, but he had to compose himself, dry his tears, and complete the two deliveries on his father’s behalf which were still pending. He suppressed his pain, remembering his father’s advice to keep calm and be rational in the face of adversities, and to always ensure trustworthiness.” Kim Tho recalled that Jacky finally