Grateful.

I just read with sadness in the Straits Times that one of the victims of that terrible attack at Kallang, 19 year old Ang Jun Heng, amputated the fingers that were reattached to his palm. The fingers were found back at the scene of crime and reattached back in a marathon operation, but had to be amputated yet again due to gangrene.

He’s only 19 years old, and an NSF at the time of the attack.

He’s a former Captain of the RI Canoeing Team, and is in the NDU for his NS duties. Really, it is ironic. The Captain of the Canoeing Team. Without his fingers how can he ever grab the paddle again and canoe? He knows his canoeing life might end just like that, and that most probably, his NDU life too. What is he going to do?

The thing that struck me most is his optimism and cheerfulness in this, although i sense exasperation and being resigned to his fate. If i were him i’m not sure if i could handle this as well as he did. I thought it is bad enough after my operation for pneumothorax when my surgeon said ‘no diving and bungee jumping forever’, and i went, ‘but i havent tried them both yet!’. And here is this guy, 19 years old, similar age, but drastically different situations. He lost some of his fingers, i only has part of my lung cut off and stapled. Comparatively, i might only get somewhat breathless on exertion. But him? He lost fingers. Fingers. Fingers that hold on and manipulate stuff.

Ironic, as a former canoeist. One fateful night, one freak attack, one life forever changed and scarred.

Makes us all feel grateful isn’t it? I really pray that he’ll walk out of this, and be able to pick up the pieces and walk on. I really hope he can.