I must admit I am not an avid blogger by any measure. I started one for my daughter almost 2 years back and the posts are getting fewer and further in between.
The reason I am starting another one today is because I was overwhelmed when I read the words "Chee Wei Cheng. The 20-year-old coporal, the older of two sons, was in the army serving his national service. As of yesterday, little else was known of him."
I have followed the news of the dragon boat accident very closely after I realised that Wei Cheng was one of the 5 who lost their lives in that accident. I read the newspaper religiously but I did not read much about Wei Cheng. The clincher was when I came across those words in the Straits Times on Monday.
Wei Cheng IS NOT a nobody. To me, Wei Cheng was a very very sweet gentleman. During my 8 years of teaching, I taught my form class students many things, one of the most important was what it meant to be a lady and a gentleman. This is a demanding call as it really takes personal awareness and commitment to WANT to be a better person. And to me, when I look at Wei Cheng, I think he had blossomed into a fine gentleman.
He was not the president of any council, not a very prominent office bearer in school but he carried himself with simple pride and a ready smile for all. He was a silly chap, he left badminton (I think) for Choir during his lower Secondary school days and I asked him why. His answer was simple, "I think there's a brighter future for me in Choir." (with his ready smile) I remembered telling him then that he'd look odd in Choir as he was quite the ra-ra sort but he proved me wrong. I remember seeing him perform, always singing with a smile! I know that he must have enjoyed himself very much and it was a good CCA move for him.
After he left RVHS, we (2J form class) still make an effort to meet up yearly. Usually, the sweet chairperson and fellow 2Jeyers will turn up with a nice cake to celebrate my birthday. That sweet gesture has turned into a annual event of me cooking them dinner (it's getting nicer with each passing year) and us hanging out and talking and laughing way way into the night. Wei Cheng will ALWAYS be one of the sweethearts who will ask if I needed help (when he arrived) and after dinner, be also one of the first to help me clear the table and take out the trash. This kind of gentlemanly-ness is not to my credit at all. This is a reflection of wonderful home up-bringing and his personal awareness to be a gentleman.
Just two year ago I commented, "Wow!! You're looking way good. Muscles and all." Wei Cheng had shed his singing coat for his new dragon boat jersey. He said with his usual smile that it was a good way to use the time in army to train for a good body. Always a cheeky answer at hand.
Wei Cheng is not without his glorious past. Those who know him well will attest to that. This blog is a suggestion from my husband, who remembers him as a cute chubby boy who became a fine looking gentleman. My husband told me not to be angry with the media to not know much of him and rather than get upset, I should start this blog in remembrance of him. This way, others who know him too can have an outlet to express themselves. This way, Wei Cheng will live in our minds forever.
110 comments:
I for one will attest to that. Thanks for the post and blog princess J, it is the least we can do for him...
May Wei Cheng rest in peace.
my condolences...... it could have been prevented but we all learn.... at a cost....
may he rest in peace.....
I don't really know Wei Cheng very well personally but I do rmb him when I was in choir. He used to be pretty quiet when he first joined, then later he started to warm up. He's pretty funny too if im not wrong... It's just such a pity and i really feel deeply for his family...
May him rest in peace.
Saddened by this mishap and none of us wish this would have happened.
As a rower myself, I was indeed affected very much by this and I know many people out there share the same sentiments.
May Wei Cheng and the other 4 strong, talented national rowers rest in peace and you will always be remembered by us.
To their family members, relatives and friends: My deepest and heartfelt condolences to you.
i share your sentiments too. even though i do not know weicheng personally, i was really incensed to see that each of the other 4 rowers had a feature in the homepages except weicheng.
that aside, my condolences to the family and may he rest in peace.
Hi I am Sandra Davie from The Straits Times. We did not profile Wei Cheng because we could not find any information on him and we didn't have a chance to talk to his mum and brother either. we are trying to put together an article on him today. Would appreciate if some of you can call me at 96808362. Thanks.
Wei Cheng was always one who would brighten up the atmosphere with his jokes. Never one to give in to obstacles, his cheerful and optimistic demeanor has made me feel that he is happy as he is and contented with what he has, always.
Likewise, when I read the newspapers, I was hoping that the Wei Cheng featured was not the one that I know. The picture that was shown was not one that I recognise, even though the name is exactly the same. My shock and disbelief when it was indeed confirmed that Wei Cheng was one of those whose lives were lost left me in anger. How could one so young and with such a bright future ahead have his life snuffed out just like that? It did not make any sense.
A friend of mine told me that instead of being angry with the circumstances of his death, I should be remembering Wei Cheng for what he had done when he was alive. I do not claim to be a close friend of his, but I do remember his perseverance, humour, optimism and willingness to lend a helping hand anytime. It is precisely these qualities that make him a genuinely outstanding person; it is precisely these qualities of his that I will remember him by.
May Wei Cheng rest in peace and may we all keep the memory of him alive; a friend who will be dearly missed.
Yes, Jessica.. You pretty much summed up the Wei Cheng that we all know and love. In my heart, Wei Cheng is that one person whom I can depend on if I ever need some help. In his own quiet unassuming manner, he would offer his help to anyone in need.
Yes, he may not the president or leader of any group, but I'm sure he will continue to live in the hearts of all those who know him.
Deepest condolences,
Ban Heng (aka mr choy)
Mourning in Bangkok...
my deepest condolences to Wei Cheng's family.
It is nice to see Wei Cheng's teacher had put an blog for him.
Thank U teacher for your great effort. With internet, it is good for netizen to read others news than depend on printed media.
I have not taught him but I sure remember his smile. I must have been received it when he passed me by along the corridor and greeted me.
It is a real pity that such a young life was lost so unexpectedly. We can only pray that he has gone to a better place and may the time he has spent on earth leave beautiful memories for those who have come to known him and love him.
Weicheng, rest in peace.
Ling (aka Ms. Chia, RVHS teacher)
though we are both from rv, i do not know weicheng until in jc. being in the same cca, he is always a friendly and helpful friend. he never fail to show us his wonderful smile.
still rmb bumping into him in vivo few mths back, and he was telling me how much he enjoy dragonboating.
thank you miss goh for this blog.
may he rest in peace.
I was deeply saddened by this incident even though I do not know any of the victims. They were young and it was cruel for them to be robbed of their lives abruptly, in their prime. Like you, I was surprised not to find any tribute to WeiCheng in the papers today, but I am looking forward to it since one is going to be written. May WeiCheng and friends rest in peace
Marcus Lee
Cheng ah..Get to know you only in sec 1. Not your best of friends but still we can get along quite well. Thanx for bringing me into badminton.. Feels weird to in turn replace your place inside when u quit for chior. I still remember bringing u guys to SSC. Haha.. You are violent loh. Ya oso remember you destroyed one of the most beautiful goals i can ever scored. Yes yes.. you cleared off my bicycle kick off the line during the inter house game. Wa.. after sec school.. i can only think of seeing you at Class chalets la.. Gathering at Ms Goh's house.. and outings..
Those that are more deeply embedded in my mind are quite recent only loh. Remember last year AHM? Ya we meet to eat subway.. That's so long after we enter army that we know where each other was posted to. How about the clubbing experience? Ya it's super werid!!! 2J go clubbing together? Cant belief it! How about going chevrons to sing song? That was the latest gathering ba. You even say you'll be the one organising the next outing liao rite? Instead of always being me..
Saw you juz last week nia.. At changing appetite.. Din saw you at 1st wan loh.. We only tok for such a short time la. Yup i still remember what's the last thing we tok about. Yes it's remembering that we had a 2J dinner at changing appetite rite? Glad you still remember that. The last thing i ever saw.. is your big muscular back view when u go up the escalator.
Cheng ah..Thanx alot..You're the few who never fail to turn up for gatherings.. The few who agreed so readily.. Well.. Although i'm not really very close to you.. but i feel that u're a gd friend.. and yea i do cherish you alot. Please do take care where ever you are now.. Best wishes to you.. Will never ever forget you my friend. Times we shared together will always stay in my heart. Pls be with us when we are having gatherings ok? Rest in peace my friend..
-Wei Zhe
yes. as a very dear team mate of mine, i felt very unjust when i saw what the papers wrote about him, or the lack thereof. yu did the right thing madamn. he deserves more than that.
thanks so much for highlighting weizheng and dedicated this blog to him.
from what you mentioned, it is very clear that weizheng was a very nice person.
dont be bothered with the media - they did not have much info about him because they were using the wrong face all this while!!
do not be deceived into revealing too much info about weizheng to them.
This whole "not a president, not an office appointment" thing has really got to stop. As his teammate, and good friend for the better part of the year, I can safely say that he has all the characteristics that made him a very deserving Captain of the SAFSA Dragonboat Team 2007. If the papers need an appointment to classify him under well then let that be it.
While he might not conform to the more strict and domineering qualities of some other captains might assume, due to his inherent good-nature, I'm sure all in the team will attest to the fact that this young man was an inspiration to us all.
There was simply this down-to-earth, endearing quality to him that made us instant friends when i first joined the team. Though he lacked any dragonboat background during his schooling years, within a year he rose to become the outstanding rower, and leader, that he was, and always will be. That's something many rowers with years of dragonboat experience may never achieve.
With him rowing one seat behind me, I would not, could not falter. This young man deserved my blood and sweat, because rowing with him was a pure honour. Chee was no mere choir boy. He was a champion with a pretty face, a motivator, and a role-model, whom I will always respect and aspire to emulate till the end of my days. There are some people who're made of a certain mettle, a certain steel that cannot fail, and he is one such person.
We lost 3 generations of SAFSA Captains to this freak accident. The loss to the nation, to the music community, to the dragonboat fraternity, was not slight, and Wei Cheng's definitely not a small part of it. If it weren't for my injury, I would've been in that boat with him. And I would not have regret it.
Take care my brother I'll see you again when it is time.
wwri would never forget wei cheng and the times spent with him. i can still rmb cleary playing soccer and even mahjong together. always a helpful and friendly guy i've yet to witness him lose his temper once. during my last meeting with him, i could tell tt dragonboating had become passion of his. he was enthusiatic and proud to be a member of the dragonboating circle in singapore. i will rmb his smile and positive attitude. i'm glad our paths crossed, yet sad it has to end this way.
yuyuan
Thank you, Princess Jessica, for dedicating this blog to Wei Cheng.
He is most definitely not a nobody. I will always remember him as the cheerful guy I used to meet in school everyday.
And to Wei Cheng,
I really regret not being able to speak to you much after we graduated from RVHS. I did take note of your friendster and recently your facebook photoes though. I always thought you look good with that muscular figure, broad shoulders and all. Definitely not suited for choir. lol
May you rest in peace.
And Farewell, my Friend.
-Zhiwen
Thanks for sharing about him being a fine gentleman and caring friend. My condolences to his family, team-mates and friends.
RIP Wei Cheng.
Thanks for posting this; I'll let the St. Andrew's alumni know.
Wei Cheng was my classmate for 2 yrs when I was in RVHS. I always remembered him as a cheerful guy.. and like yuyuan said, someone who was extremely good natured and never lost his temper. I still remember the times when we would play mahjong together at our friend's house, with all of us teasing him whenever he paused to think about which tile to discard. However, after graduating from RV, we seldom kept in contact.. But we did run into each other occasionally. I can never forget the enthusiasm he showed whenever he saw me out on the streets. I hope he can find eternal peace from now on... good bye Wei Cheng
Ser Jing
Dear Madam and friends of the deceased,
Deepest and heartfelt condolences
to Wei Cheng's and the four families who lost their loved ones.
E.S.Tan, Tokyo
Through my friends, I learnt that one of our schoolmates from SAJC was among the victims of this dragonboat incident. Though I do not know him, or the other victims, I was deeply saddened by the sudden loss of such fine, young talents.
Our paths did not cross, although we were in the same house in SA. And from the testimonies to Wei Cheng here, I know he was a good man. Leader or not, his positive attitude & gentleman ways makes him a fine young man all the same.
My condolences to the family & people who had loved this young man.
Rest in peace,
you will be remembered always..
SH Tan
I din't know Weicheng personally, but reading this blog, it really pains us all to witness this unfortunate demise of a person meant to scale great heights. Weicheng will be fondly remembered by all who were cheered by his smile and positive demeanor, and may he rest in peace.
POOR THING. may wei cheng rest in peace. I hope no one will be the second victim of this incident. Die in peace ba! Chee Wei Cheng! Best condolences from me. It is of grief and I was sad that he was washed away and was declared dead.
Best wishes
By the person who read the news and was persuaded to rediect to this website.
We knew each other since sec1 but we never quite become friends until sec4 and finally become best of friends after the exams during the 1 month temp work duration. I've never expected you to be my best friend, neither me to you. About this incident, I still cannot accept it.
Similarly, I don't like the way people describe him as not president or whatever. I've discussed with him too many times about old times, and it's true he always felt he didn't achieve enough in RV. However, what is ultimately important is that he excel further and further. The fact that he is the Vice-captain of Safsa is solid proof. There's no stopping until he is in the national team.
If anyone think that this is easy, think again. In army as a technician due to his PES status, he fought his way out until he is in safsa, then vice captain of safsa, and then in national team. These are no mean feats, and wei cheng has put in a determination that I, as one of his best friends, envy and am very proud of.
He's a competitive guy, he likes to shine, and he did. He thinks about his future a lot, that is why he join choir instead of badminton; get 4As in SA instead of relaxing; and got into national team instead of remaining as a tech in saf. He works hard for his future, forcing himself to teach tuition even though he is training everyday, or even twice per day. Due to all his commitments, I met less and less of him, but still once per 1 or 2 weeks.
The last time I met him was last last sat, when we went to kbox together. He was also saying he was looking forward to his Cambodia trip..which was going to be his last competition before he get attached back to his unit..A few more weeks back, we were discussing just how much we should "chiong" in life. I even told him it's time to kick back and relax in uni..
The news really don't quite register in me. So much time spent together, so many happy moments, cannot possibly just disappear like that. I was even thinking about a time that when we will be both old and talking about old times in a kopitiam. I will never have that chance anymore. There are so many things that he has not do yet, like getting a gf..I've never believe in afterlife, but right now I want to, and I wish for him a life that a great friend and person like him should deserve...
Alvin Chia
Your passion and dedication to paddling was extraordinary and inspiring. Although I do not know you, this is how I will like to remember you.
May you rest in peace.
my condolences......again and again..
may he rest in peace.....
To their family members, relatives and friends: My deepest and heartfelt condolences to you.
Well. That is a good start for people wanting to know more about Wei Cheng. Kudos for putting in the effort of setting up the blog.
this is truly saddening. can anyone provide the link to his friendster? may this young lad rest in peace..
Thanks to Ms Goh for putting the blog together. It's very sad to see a young life snatched away this way. But I sincerely believe he has moved on to a better place. To his family and friends, don't be sad but remember him forever.
A former RVHS student (1989 - 1992)
It is extremely sad to lose such fine young men to accidents such as this. I cannot imagine what it must have feel like if it's someone I know. God bless them.
A boy full of laughter and joy best describes Wei Zheng when he was a little boy. Smart and talented he was, which never made his parents worry about his grades in school. Due to certain circumstance, we've lost touch for the past 2 years and knew little of what had become of him. But we had to hear of him in this manner and are simply too lost for words. A fine, young gentlemen has left us, someone dear and precious in our hearts. You will be sadly missed by all of us.
Bereaved, we all pray and may God bless that your journey to heaven will be a smooth one and may you rest in peace.
Your loved ones,
The Chee Family
Hi, although i didnt know Wei Cheng personally..but by reading all these comments,it seems that he was a very nice guy with a very calm attitude who was very gentle-manly..their lives have been taken away and they didnt deserve it at all..All these could have been prevented if they had worn their life jackets.5 innocent lives have been taken away and its a great loss to their family,friends,teachers and their very own dragon boating team.Good people like them are angels who come into our lives to lead us onto the right path and leave quickly leaving behind their memories and their charming attitude..Rest in peace Wei Cheng and friends!
I don't know him personally as well. Probably spoke to him once during my JC days. But our common frens spoke highly of him and everyone's current msn nick is all about him. That goes to show how people loved him as a person.
I feel truely sorry for his love ones who have to handle this kind of loss. It's unbelievably painful, hope you guys can be brave and recover from it soon.
Rest in peace, you'll always be remembered.
Serene
"In the arms of an angel
fly away from here,
From this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear,
You are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie.
You're in the arms of the angel.
May you find some comfort there..."
Rest easy brother. Though where you go, we cannot follow, we will carry forward the legacy you have left behind. Let us dream for you, while you reap the fruits of the labours you have sown in this life.
I may not know Wei Cheng but am very sadden by the news.
I just lost my mum not too long and I know how painful it is to experience the loss of our loved one.
Such young, talented and gentle man. We have lost one treasure while GOD has gain one.
Rest in peace. GOD will take good care of you...
Viv.
I am a teacher too and I will be in distraught if 1 of my students experiences a similar mishap. However, your words really struck a cord in me.. that is to love and cherish every single student under my care. Thank you very much.
even though i was classmate with weicheng for 2 years, i had never been close to him. However the weicheng i remembered is one who is approachable and smiley. I hope he rests in peace-yiqi
I do not know WC at all. However, I've been reading the ST since the tragedy happened. I cried for all the 5 & for their families.
May WC & his brothers rest in peace.
I applaud Mrs Jessica Chak for posting this blog in memory of Chee Wei Cheng. It's wonderful to know that we have such dedicated teachers like you..
It saddens me greatly to read about the tragic accident...where 5promising young men have lost their lives in a sudden twist of fate...or perhaps an accident which could have been prevented...
My deepest condolences to the family of Chee Wei Cheng, Poh Boon San, Jeremy Goh, Stephen Loh and Reuben Kee...
As the saying goes...the good die young...May God Bless their Souls and Lead them to Heaven!
I do not know Wei Cheng personally but my heart aches on reading about him and his friends tragic passing. I have shed buckets of tears for fine young men that I don't know and fervently wishing it's all a terrible nightmare that we all can wake up from. Without doubt, all five men were true gentlemen, with promising futures. Singapore has lost 5 fine young sons. They may have left us but their legacy will always remain. My sincere condolences to all that were blessed to have known him. Wei Cheng, I salute you.
My Condolence to Wei Cheng's family
I know the pain of losing a loved one as i had just lost my mother.
Nothing can fill the vacuum except the Peace Of God.
hi... my name is weicheng too... I am not the president of any council, not a very prominent office bearer in school but i carry myself with simple pride and a ready smile for all. i was a silly chap, i left choir for badminton during my lower Secondary school days and when asked why. my answer was simple, "I think there's a brighter future for me in badminton." (with my ready smile)
many have 4gotten that i used to be a cute chubby boy ever since i entered army and became a fine looking gentleman...
hey! there seems to be so much in common with me(weicheng) and weicheng... i feel for him... May God bless you.
pity they couldnt enjoy life... they had so much potential.. what is the friendster of chee wei cheng? i would like to read up more abt the deceased..
Oh my... I never knew him. But his death is painful to many. As his junior from RVHS, i sincerely hope he will be happy wherever he may be at now. My condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.
Tricia (4L'2006)
I would like to clarify on the lifejackets. Wearing them might or might not have changed the eventual outcome. Please bear in mind that the sunction from the collision and subsequent sinking of the boat would've overcome any buoyancy lifejackets provided. Many of them ended up below the pontoon. With life jackets, it could've been possibly even a greater disaster, because it would've made it that much harder for them to come out from beneath it. Lifejackets do not automatically mean saved lives. While in any other situation it would've increased chances of survival, in this instance it is impossible to postulate. This was truly a freak accident. Let us accept the fact that it was time for these great persons to leave us. God bless their souls.
I do not know Wei Cheng personally but after following the news these few days, I was surprised that there are so few information about Wei Cheng. So it is really heartening to see someone remembering this young man in your own way.
I can see from all the testimonies that Wei Cheng was a very wonderful young man who is full of determination and drive. It is a real pity that the 5 young men could not survive and I'm sure all will feel the same as I, that it is a great loss to Singapore and the deceased's family.
I, too am a mother so I can fully understand the anguish the family are experiencing now. My deepest condolences to all the five men's family and may them rest in peace.
Samantha Ng
Weizheng is someone you know you can trust. He really is all that's described here - good natured, a filial son, smart student, mature young adult and a great friend.
Weizheng, I didn't think it'd be you and I didn't know till I saw your photo in the papers. It was unexpected and shocking. I mourn for the loss of a friend and I grief...
I'm still hoping that one day I'd wake up and realize that this is all not true, that you are still around...
I'm sorry for not being a good friend. I'm sorry for not saying hello when I saw you the other time. I hope you wouldn't hold it against me.
Rest in peace my friend. We'd all learn. to cope. Btw, I never knew you were from choir. You've got to let me hear you sing sometime.
Thanks for everything. Goodbye, my friend...
Your friend always,
Leaving my comment here is perhaps simply a way to relieve the heavy heart at the loss and demise of Wei Cheng... a most earnest and responsible lad... he could be entrusted upon to give his best in all tasks... ever willing to go the extra mile to help others... he had a heart of gold and a mind of steel... for his determination and zeal for excellence inspires others. Conscientious in all tasks given, be it big or small... With an ever ready smile, he greets us all... and now he has gone... he has such a bright future, so much zest for life... may we remember his spirit of giving and strength always...
Rest In Peace.
It was really a huge shock for me to see his photo on the newspaper that day. Never ever would I thought it would be him. While I was not close to him, we had after all known each other for more than ten years, all the way from primary school to jc and he was someone that I thought would always be around just cos he always looked so fine and happy.
Goodbye my friend.
Being part of the rv family once has made me feel so much for the lost of a senior whom i did not know personally.
May he, and the other 4 rowers rest in peace.
Rest in peace, Wei Cheng.
My deepest condolescence for weicheng and his family though i do not know him personally but i can sense hes well-liked by many of his fellow schmates. rest in peace, weicheng. God bless.
-anon-
Wei Cheng, one of my good friends in sec 1 & 2 togather with chin hian and zhen wei. We would always hang out togather and talk cock.
I still remember us talking cock through periods allocated to the IPW project that we had to do.(For the record, although we spent much of the time talking cock, we managed to complete a good project on an introduction booklet of CCAs for incoming sec 1 students.)
After school, we would always go to the street soccer court togather for soccer. We spent countless fun hours togather there.
You were always such an enjoyable person to converse with.
We drifted apart after being streamed to different classes in Sec 3 but still managed to meet up regularly with the rest of the class through outings, dinners.
I regret choosing not to participate in the last outing at K box. That was the last time I would have been able to have a good chat with you. I am sorry.
But whats done is done.
You are a great example to us all, proving to us that diligence and perserverance in studies and everything that we do in life does pay off through his achievements in his young life.
Thanks to Ms Goh for setting up this blog.
Wei Cheng old friend,
May you rest in peace.
Yours sincerely,
Li Wei
I don't think we ever realise how amazing people are until it's too late. Although i'm saddened, I am staring at this screen and am not knowing what to say - maybe because I've never known him, but it feels like anything said would seem only even more inadequate.
yet, i think, to those who knew him personally and to those who came to know him only now, maybe we should take comfort that he has had an amazing life. As we pray that he rests in peace, perhaps, we should also realise the inspiration he represents to cherish life as we have it.
ms goh, i think weicheng would have been very proud to know that he was remembered as fondly as you have remembered him. even though nothing anybody does now will ever bring him back, he has led an amazing and inspiring life.
may he rest in peace, always and be safe and happy, wherever he is.
best,
ritchell (rvhs class of 2003)
I am deeply saddened by his sudden leaving.. I hope his family and friends can hold together and live stronger. You ought to be proud of him, he has been outstanding and full of life... Pls remb him at his best, I think he would very much like that...
As a fellow saint i read with a heavy heart the news of Wei Cheng's demise.
Although we were never in the same class/house and never had much chance to interact, Wei Cheng always struck me as a friendly, dependable person. I know he will be sorely missed, especially by his close friends and all who hold him dear.
My deepest condolences to his family, we share your grief.
and to wei cheng our fellow saint, rest in peace, you will be sorely missed.
yock theng
SAJC 04/05
Wei Cheng...rest in peace...I've only spoken to him a few times but he truly came across as a friendly easygoing guy. And Miss Goh thanx a lot for the blog too... my condolences.
Ms Goh, thanks for letting us share our grief and celebrate WeiCheng for the person he is.
I may not know WeiCheng personally but I do know for a fact he has inspired us and with that, his life is one lived to the fullest.
May he continue to be blessed and loved, wherever he is now.
Jac. rv4J03.
Wei Cheng, you will be badly missed by 04S75 (SAJC) and your teachers. We met in June this year and you shared about your Macau dragonboat race. Now, you are gone.
Mr Chu H M
(SAJC / IJC)
may Wei Cheng rest in peace, you all will be remembered forever.
Weicheng's muscles were put to good use as an armoured technician. I still remember I last saw him during my ICT this June. Who knows it would be the last time...He was a great friend and will forever be remembered. Deepest condolences to Weicheng's family.
weizheng is, and will forever be a brother to me, to us. we have all lost a part of us, when u leave just like that.. Rest in peace, brudder.. You are always in our hearts. Loves.
It's really sad to know that we have just lost a great person like Wei Cheng.
He always looked cheerful and friendly and was really a helpful guy.
Thank you for all the wonderful memories you left us and may you rest in peace..
- ex-schoolmate
thanks princess jessica for giving us the chance to learn about this great man.
my heart sank when i read that wei cheng was part of the rv family,though i nv knew him.
i wonder if God was fair to take away the life of wei cheng who strove so hard to pursue his passions and to challenge his limits.it's a utter pity that he was not able to move on to later phases in life..
at the same time,i believe he and his teammates must hv felt really proud of themselves for finishing the race.well,in this sense,i'm glad for him that his life ended on a glorious note.
now,i just hope that his mum and bro will stay strong..wei cheng is an inspiration to me and i'm proud to have such a senior.
-wei hui of rv4L,2004
my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this tragedy. but whatever it is, i'm sure they all feel the effort worth in taking part in this competition due to their passion and love for the sport... =)
http://profiles.friendster.com/7954060
sad to say, his profile does little justice to the kind of great person chee is. nonetheless, it shows the simple yet earnest character in him.
Please send your condolences to the others as well.....
Boon San http://bgpoh.blogspot.com/
Stephen http://energizerloh.blogspot.com/
Jeremy http://rememberingjerbroni.blogspot.com/
Reuben http://ntu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6327748991
I do not know him,
and i know his friends and family will be affected the most.
Just here to say take heart, even me as a person who do not know him, feel sadden for your lost.
ignore the media insensitivity.
may peace be with all of you even in sadness.
and one day the sun will shine again.
Being in the same cca as Wei Cheng in SAJC, i remembered him as being the gentlemanly, friendly and always a smiley person.
even thought we weren't close friends, he never failed to show his friendliness to me. i still rem the last time i met him randomly few months ago, he looks really cheerful and happy.
to weicheng, it's been a pity that you have left us. you will be deeply missed. Don't worry,im sure all your friends and family will move on with their lives, (with you in our heart) and we will live life to the fullest for ourselves and for you.
to weicheng's family members, condolences to all of you. Hope you will get through this.
god bless you weicheng and may you rest in peace. =)
Love,
Hwee Peng
if you get there before we do
dont give up on us
we'll be there when our chores are through
we dunno how long we'll be
but we're not gonna let you down
buddy wait and see
and between now and then, till we see you again, we'll be missing you
love,
me
We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. - The NJ Dragon Boat Club, USA
i am sure wei cheng is very proud to have a teacher who take the effort n time to write something for him alth he had left us for a better place..........
continue to be a inspire teacher
may god bless u n your family memebers
henrytee
(five rowers)
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass,
of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind
I am very sad after reading the news from the newspaper. As Wei Cheng is the eldest son in the family, I really can feel the pain from her mum. I wish to send my condolences to his family and may Wei Cheng rest in peace.
When I first read about the dragon boating accident in the chinese papers, I couldn't recognise Wei Cheng at first as the photograph was taken with him wearing sunglasses.
What a shock I had when I looked into the Straits Times the next morning. I also initially felt outrage that five lives were lost, but only four articles of remembrance were published. I'll leave here my tribute to him.
Here was someone who I'd got to know and spent cca time with in JC, and even participated in that funny 'Amazing *Toilet* Race' a couple of years back with.. Wei Cheng, you were always ready to help with any problem you had, and for such a spirit, I applaud you.
Reading these comments here, I really feel that it is my loss to not have known you better while we were back in school.. I still remember when I bumped into you in camp and poked fun at how you've buffed up. So this was where you grew those strong arms.. Haha..
Haix.. We greatly rue your passing.. Hope you come back as a good guy again next time. The world has a shortage of guys like you.. Rest in peace my friend..
Coming from RVHS myself, but being much older, I do not think I had the pleasure of meeting this fine gentleman myself, but from the varied accounts that I've read of him, I feel compelled to drop a note.
Dear Wei Cheng, may you find peace knowing that you've lived a varied life and have passed on to a better place.
Thank you teacher for putting up this blog.
他是个颇有抱负的青年，无奈缺少了些许运气。他竞选学生理事，但是因为前两个月不在本校，所以缺乏学生的支持。他选择参加学院的帆船活动，但因为家境经济情况不好，无法支付高昂的活动费用而最终放弃。我怎么也没有想到，他在服兵役时会去参加独木舟，且还有优异的表现，甚至代表国家参加比赛。当他感到颇有小成就时，却也是他离开这个世界的时候。
那年，他考到很好的成绩，但却因为英文理解与写作只考到B4而不悦。因为他希望能够申请奖学金以减轻母亲的负担。后来，他发了简讯给我，问我有没有学生要补习，他想通过补习来赚些外快，因为当兵的日子很空闲。我才知道他因为近视太深而在兵营里被配以一个较为轻松的职务。伟政是闲不下来的，对他来说，生活要过得充实才会有意义。他要充分利用生活中的每时每秒，最后他进入了独木舟国家队。一个从未接触过独木舟的青年竟能在一两年内不停地锻炼以使自己达到国家水平，这当中需要多少的努力啊？而伟政就是有那锲而不舍的精神和毅力。
去年新年前夕，他又发了简讯给我，问可否和同学到我家来拜年。我知道他最喜欢大伙儿聚集一堂，说说笑笑打打麻将，就好像前年他们到我家来胡闹一样。无奈我当时已安排了节目，不得不拒绝他。这么一拒，则意味着以后的新年，我再也不会收到他的简讯了。
人的生命是如此的脆弱。昨天，我到伟政的灵前吊丧，并安慰陈女士（伟政的妈妈），要她节哀顺便，化悲愤为力量。她说她要在这几天陪伴着孩子，因为星期四他将被化为灰烬。我感觉到她丧子的悲痛，我知道无论什么都无法弥补她所失去的……
伟政的至亲好友，让我们合手祈求上苍，愿伟政于九泉之下能够安息。伟政，你永远活在老师的心中。
rest in peace...
Though I do not known Wei Cheng personally, my deepest condolences to his family and relatives and friends.
Stay strong and life still moves on....
May he rest in peace...
My deepest heartfelt condolences to Wei Cheng's family and friends.
May he rest in peace.
The times we had in class
the times we had in choir
the times we had in SAJC.
you have went on to another world
but left us wonderful memories as gifts, your smile and personality imprinted on our hearts.
you will not be forgotten, my friend. you live in our hearts.
Requiem Aternam.
Classmates for 2 years... Can clearly remember the times we spent at the street soccer almost every day after school during our sec1,2 times.. I knew you found a new love in dragon boating and was in awe of your physique when i saw you at our class outing...You never failed to turn up for all our class outings, bringing joy and laughter to each and everyone of us..
Wei Cheng, you will definitely be remembered by all of us.. Rest Well
Yu Chong
may wei cheng rest in peace.
wei cheng... rest in peace =) from all the comments left for u this shows that u are one helpful and cheerful person =) even though i do not know u personally... i was touched and moved by ur determination to set ur sight on ur goals... i hope u are in a happy place now looking down upon us with a smile on ur face =D
Jessica, thanks for the blog. It was only this evening, that the news finally hit me. I couldn't even recognise Wei Zhe in the papers. He has blossomed into a fine young gentleman. His younger bro, was once upon a time my student. I remember how Wei Zhe would be very concerned about his brother and how he would hover outside my classroom to wait for his brother. His gentle deameanour started when he was in primary school.
I believe Wei Zhe would want us live a fulfilling life and not grieve. We will have to be strong!
Jess, thanks for consoling me even though you are grieved too.
May Wei Zhe rest in peace...
Reading this blog has definitely helped me to know about Weicheng. Thank you Mrs Chak for taking the effort to set this blog up. Though I do not know him personally, the fact that he was part of the RV family somehow creates a connection.
It is a pity to have lost a young life, so full of potential, passion and zest be it for his loved ones or simply for the things he did. However, nobody can stop God's plan. I always believe that God has a reason for everything and certainly a good reason for that matter.
May God grant peace and strength to the family of Weicheng and the many friends and loved ones that he had inspired during this life.
Let us continue to pray for his soul that he may rest in peace in the hands of God.
Tess Moh
RVHS 4L 2004
as a senior of him in rv and choir..
as a senoir of him in sajc..
realli felt sad when i read the newspapers..
i'm sure he will live a better life in his next live...
may his family members be strong!
wz pal,
the way you live your life is truly an inspiration. so glad to have crossed your path.
you'll always be with us, never to be forgotten..
may you rest in peace and God's grace be upon your family.
To joanna,
His name is Wei Zheng/Cheng. Not Wei Zhe
Though I do not know you personally, I have seen you along the corridors of RVHS, back in those good old days. From the comments left behind, I can see that you have lived your life with great passion and perseverance. I am sure you will be greatly missed by your friends and loved ones.
Rest in peace, Wei Cheng.
-ex-Rvian (Class of 2003)
It was indeed devastating to hear of such a tragedy which cruelly took away 5 promising young men's lives...
Miss Goh, thanks for starting this blog for Wei Cheng.. it really helps us to understand what he was like before he left... his thoughtfulness towards his family... his enthu towards class gatherings.. his determination towards dragonboating which brought him to Singapore Team within a very short time...
As a senior from RVHS... though i may not know him personally.. i am sure Wei Cheng has left his glories and best memories with his loved ones...
May he rest in peace...
My deepest condolences to Wei Cheng's family and friends... Must stay strong k...
Shuwen (RV4J'2001)
Wei Zheng,
Our final goodbye to you. You will be greatly missed by your SAJC 04S75 friends and teachers who taught you in SAJC 2004/2005. This has been a very bad week for us. Your Civics Tutor posted a long message for you and it reflects the sadness she is experiencing now. Your S75 classmates are finding it hard to accept your sudden departure. TJ told me that you met him at the Dental Clinic last week and you asked him to organise another BBQ session for S75. We will always remember you, Wei Zheng.
Mr Chu
(Your Econs Tutor / 2004)
Let me proffer my confession that I do not know Wei Zheng well. Greetings exchanged, progress of preparations solicited, assurance of even more intensive effort to be devoted before the final hurdle verbalised – such were the brief encounters we had. However, it took no effort, probably due to occupational instinct, to filter him out to be one of the better lot - nice, polite, diligent, the usual niceties one lavishly and willingly pours out when one was tasked to describe Wei Zheng.
It therefore came as a surprise that this fine young man had actually accomplished much despite facing such trying circumstances at home. Choir, volleyball, environmentalist, kayaking, dragon boat, volunteering overseas, all the while not forgetting to achieve the best results to secure a brighter future to better provide for the family. Mature, responsible, filial, forward looking – the many qualities he had demonstrated would have put people much older to shame, not to mention his peers.
It was shocking, to say the least, when I saw his photo in Monday’s papers. Denial mode set in. It was just not possible to enunciate what appeared to be the reality! How could it be? Frantic calls were made and confirmation equals cruelty. It was cruel of fate to have caused such emotional loss to so many people. Family members, friends, teachers, buddies – all had to accept the unthinkable in an instant. It has to be in such situations when memory exhibits its extraordinarily efficient way of rewinding itself in search of the final frame of encounter with people we know and hold dear. And keeps replaying it! Now, the memory could only remain as that – a memory. There will be no more catching up, bumping into each other, exchanging updates, knowing that there will be further meet-ups, etc. No more. They say the scarcity of things makes them precious. It is true.
Wei Zheng, I consider myself blessed to have known you. That it was fate that allowed me to share the little knowledge I had with you. It is indeed a pity that you are gone. Life for all of your loved ones and close friends will move on. Just that it would have been that much better with you around…
Goodbye!
Seeing all the stories & memories you all shared with Wei Cheng. It makes me realise, how I should treasure everything in my life even more. Make more effort to really know the people around me. Don't wait, or procrastinate. Sometimes you will regret that you had pushed away the opportunity to do something which you will never be able to make up for it anymore.
My mother used to tell me this whenever we read or hear about young, talented people (like our national rowers) pass away suddenly.
They are angels, sent down by the heavens above. They were there to bring joy & love to the people around them. Yes, their time with their family, friends & loved ones were short. But the memories they weaved were beautiful & lasting ones that are sure to bring smiles onto the faces of those who knew them.
They taught so many of us what we sometimes take a whole lifetime to learn. Live your life with passion, pursue what you want without anything pulling you back. This was what Wei Cheng did by achieving & earning his place in the national dragonboat team in such a short time.
And although, he is taken away so abruptly, leaving many unable to accept the truth. Let's take comfort in the fact that he is now in a place where there is peace & no pain.
This will be a trying period for those who know him, close to him. I hope that time will heal all wounds, and that you will find strength & pride in the fact that you had once knew this good, young man.
Rest in peace, Wei Cheng
-a fellow saint-
I attended the same school as he did for a total of 6 years but it was a pity that I didn't get to know him personally. At the most, we'd just seen each other along the corridors of RV and SA.. Even so, I was at a lost for words when I realised that it was him who had met with the mishap in Cambodia..
My deepest condolences to Wei Cheng's family, to those who knew him well, who attended the same class and CCA with him..
And thank you Ms Goh, for letting the rest of us know and remember how a fine young man Wei Cheng was.
-RVHS (class of 2003)
SAJC (class of 2005)
虽然我并不认识伟政，刚巧自己也有一个和他一样年龄的儿子，也正在服兵役，一知道了金边龙舟翻覆惨祸的消息，每天都会特地去买了好多份不同的报纸，了解详细的情况。我心中的感触与难过总是特别的强烈，读着读着，真的忍不住泪水涌向心头。我们都不想意外发生在任何人身上。
万万没想到当儿子周末从兵营回来时，竟然告诉我伟政是他中学时的同班同学，我心中更是百感交集，对这么一位真诚、负责任、脚踏实地的孩子在仓促中断送了生命感到无比的惋惜与心痛。
伟政的妈妈，我能了解您现在难以接受他的死讯这个事实，希望您能很快的振作起来。您该为能有这么一名孝顺、诚挚、态度谦逊的孩子而骄傲。继续的往前走！
伟政，安息吧！你将永远活在大家的心中。
慧
I hope I dun get misunderstood. At least they passed away doing what they loved doing.
Yes it is sad that young lives have been lost, but it would be sadder if lives were lost for worst reasons like gangfights, depression etc etc.
I hope that they have lived rich n fulfilling lives with dragon boating as a key part of these lives.
This is better than living a long but unfulfiling life.
I guess i'm not going to see you in the boat next to ours like it used to be. It's been an honour paddling against you and your team. You will always be remembered because of the things you've done for yourself, for your loved ones and for our country. This is a great loss for Singapore. RIP and God Bless!
"What we do, echoes down in eternity...."
With Full Respect,
Zai
thanks ms goh for the blog. although i do not know him personally, it still saddening to know that a fellow junior from rv lost his life just like that. be strong everyone.
my deepest condolences to weizheng's family.
helen (RV4J'2001)
brothers
you taught me to fight.
to live life as we like.
to make everything worthwhile
to never look back
you show me the spirit of life
you inspire me to leap
you give me strength, to look up to the skies
there i see you, flying strong and high
thanks, for we hug we smile we sweat
thanks, I go further because you are here
thanks, for we are brothers, today, forever
It is a very nice gesture of Ms Goh to put up a blog for Wei Cheng. May God Bless You!
My deepest sympathies & condolences to the families of Wei Cheng & 4 others. I feel the grieve and sadness of their loved ones but consoled that all 5 souls are now in a better place, released from earth's sufferings.
May God bless their souls to rest in peace and also bless,strengthen their families.
- Mother of Wei Cheng's ex-classmate.
God be with you Wei Cheng. thanks for teaching me.
rest in peace.
Dear friends,
My name is Kai Hong, a close friend and dragonboat team-mate of the late Wei Cheng. I am sure by now, you have heard of the tragic accident in Cambodia 3 weeks ago.
(http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/314549/1/.html)
I am honored to have had the opportunity to row with Wei Cheng in both SAFSA as well as the National Team. He was a dedicated paddler who worked hard to reach his goals. This eventually earned him a place in the National squad, despite his lack of prior experience in the sport.
While participating actively in dragonboat, Wei Cheng dedicated much of his remaining time to giving tuition in order to contribute to the family's income. From a tender age, Wei Cheng and his brother, Wei You, have been raised single handedly by their mother, who is currently sourcing for a job with the help of relatives. Wei You recently re-took his 'O' Levels and is hoping to enter a local Polytechnic with his grades. He will be working part-time to bear some of the family's financial burden, which his brother had so painstakingly bourne these few years.
I understand that some of you have probably attended the recent wake and have already given "white money" to the family. However, with the "season of giving" just around the corner, I'm trying to arrange for a second round of donations for the family, hoping to offer what aid we can to help mother and son tide over this extremely difficult time. No obligations here. If you feel that you have given as much help as you could, it is ok.
After some discussions with Wei Cheng's cousin, we have jointly decided that cheques would be the most efficient method of facilitating these donations. Even if you are unable to write a cheque, I hope you can approach your parents and see if they would like to extend their help in this. My team-mates and I are organising this to provide an avenue for those who wish to extend their aid to the Chee family, but do not know where and how.
You will have my assurance that all donations will be documented, and that the FULL proceeds will be handed to Mdm Chee. We are doing this for we believe that Wei Cheng, being the filial son that he was, would not want his brother and mother to have to bear the weight of his departure.
For those who would want to donate a substantial amount to the family, please either reply to this message,
contact me at "kee_heng@hotmail.com" or 96461072. Details on how to donate will be diclosed to you privately. I hope to be able to collect all donations during the 3rd week of this month, which is 17th to 22nd December 2007.
I'm not sure of the response to this, but I thank you for reading this, and hope we can all do our part to help the family.
Yours Sincerely,
Chian Kai Hong
www.hungrykaihong.blogspot.com
I have just read the newspaper and only then have I knew about this blog. I may not be from RVHS and I may not even know Wei Cheng. But deep down in my heart, I wish that all the victims will be able to rest in peace. I am only a 12 year old girl, going 13. So please do not blame me if I said something wronly because I am just trying to express how I feel.
If my findings is correct, today should be Wei Cheng's 21st birthday.
A pity really, whenever I think back on that incident.
Let us, regardless of Wei Cheng's family, friends, acquaintances or complete strangers, celebrate his life, draw inspiration from his gentleman-ness (as described by his former teacher, Miss Jessica Goh) and inherent good-nature (as described by his good friend cum teammate, Woon Howe) , and pray for him and his family.
Hope all is fine for his mother and younger brother, Wei You.
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