Rest in peace.

Yesterday
I was on my way to meet Chu Ian at the control lab when i got the first message from him : Choo got into an accident and is in critical condition at the hospital. 

Shocked, i quickly called Chu Ian - hoping that i could follow him to visit Choo. But did not get to go in the end. 

When Chu Ian got back and related the news of what happened to him, i was devastated and was loss for words. The sheer imagination of what happened to him was enough to silence me from any further comments. 

Both of us just sat in silence and quietly said a prayer in our hearts. 

Today
I had just parked my car in uni when i realised i forgot my phone. 

Phone-disabled for the entire day, i quickly sent a message to Chu Ian to inform him of my current situation (ps: thanks Jason for your phone!) and next thing i knew, Chu Ian was by my side. And he told me the one thing i wished i never had the chance to hear: Choo passed away at around 11:30 this morning. 

I sat there stunned. Unsure of what to feel at that time.

Next thing i knew, we were on the way to the hospital.

Even the skies were gloomy for the entire day. Almost as if the Gods knew we were mourning the loss of a dear friend.

It was my first...and hopefully my last visit to the Sunway Medical Centre. Not that it was bad but...who likes hospitals anyway?

After we parked the car, we entered through this automatic sliding doors like those that you find in Sunway Pyramid - giving visitors the impression you are entering through a shopping mall. But once you step through the doors and get a whiff of the clinical smell that you get in hospitals and you know - this is no shopping mall:

This is not where you will hear children shouting and the laughters of ladies window shopping at every floor.

This is where uneasiness sets in and you feel the walls closing in on you with every step you take. This is where you will hear silent comforting words offered to the families of the dearly departed and people crying - not nice.


As we walked towards the elevator, i squeezed Chu Ian's hand tighter - as if hoping that by holding on to him just that little tighter, it gave me a sort of assurance that he is still by my side and would not leave me.

Once we reached the floor where Choo was, the solemn atmosphere could be felt from inside the elevator. We were led to the ICU room and had to queue up for our turn to pay our last respects - proved how many people's lives he had touched in his time in Monash.


I choked back on my tears when a staff member from Monash came forward to comfort me. But when it was finally our turn to see Choo, i felt numb. Looking at him as he lay on the bed, i could hardly recognise him. His ever smiling mouth was paled and still; his playful cheerful eyes were shut and his hair was shaved; his tanned skin was dull and dim.

This is not the Choo i know and see around in Uni. The person lying on the bed can't possibly be him!, my head screamed. What happened to the Choo who is always so happy, cheerful, playful and friendly?

All sorts of thoughts raced through my head as i stood there staring at him. And it is almost like my mind is in denial with the fact that he is no longer with us. Almost like how i felt when Michael Jackson died. Except the only difference is that i actually know Choo.

To Choo, i may not know you well. But you have come across to me as a person who is very friendly and funny - a great friend to have. Whilst i may not be as fortunate as those who had the opportunity to spend lots of time with you and share many wonderful memories, the best memory i have of you is all the times when you laugh and make everyone else around you laugh together. You never fail to brighten up a person's day. :)

I thank the stars i had the chance to know a wonderful person such as you.

Rest in peace, Choo Jian Yi.