Skip to main content

Father's Day 2026

It's been nearly five years.

My funeral director friend (she did KK's funeral) asks if the kids want to contribute something to her Father's Day social media campaign. I say I'll ask, but I bear little hope they will make the effort. To my surprise, two of them do. The one who is most leery of image and photo choice and perception does not participate. Here is what #1 and #3 say, and the photos which they approved of:

One of your most memorable memories with Dad?

When he took me along to learn kite surfing together. I remember we left Singapore for Bintan on a Friday and I skipped school that day to follow him. We spent 2-3 days doing nothing but kite surfing along the shore of Bintan. With any other person, I would have considered the trip not enjoyable. The drive from the jetty to the hotel was bumpy and uncomfortable, the food was average, and the hotel was 2 stars at best. But the fact that I could spend some time together with him away from school made the trip worthwhile. I did eventually kite surf solo for a brief moment without the instructor after a few hours, and I'm glad he got to see that as well

Dad in three words?

Principled, loving, wise.

What you would tell him?

"I love you for everything that you've done."

One of your most memorable memories with Dad?

His cooking delicious dinners for us like mac and cheese.

Dad in three words?

Quiet, sporty, pragmatic.

What you would tell him?

"I miss going out with you on Sundays."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrating KK's life

This blog is dedicated to Loh Kar Kheng, known to his friends as KK or Kheng. He died unexpectedly on Thursday, 21st October 2021, in an accident.  He was a Professional Engineer who loved his job, an inspiring coach and mentor, a passionate and gifted sportsman, a leader, a biker, a dedicated father. In the years from 2004 to 2017, I maintained a family blog.  These extracts celebrate his life. They capture his resilience and drive, overcoming the odds, to become a top-notch engineer (he just won a BCA award 3 weeks before he died, for his work on the new State courts - stories   here  and   here ), his sporting passions and his love for his children. The blog goes hand-in-hand with a memorial page here . If you have a story about what he said, what he did, if he inspired you or what you remember of him, do leave it there. It would mean a lot to us. Thank you so much. Love, KK's family

The conclusion?

Finally, today, 16 months after his death, I receive the police investigation report and Coroner's Certificate for KK's death in my inbox. Apart from a few small things, this would be the last chapter in the book of things I have to settle. The findings do not tell me anything. I have bolded the main conclusion. Extracts from it: Further investigations revealed that around 11.00 a.m. on 21 October 2021, Mr Loh had texted his friend inviting him to go for a kite surfing session together.  Later that afternoon, at about 1.30 p.m., they met up at the west side of Bedok jetty beach front and prepared their equipment. They had set off separately, with Mr Loh's friend starting his kite surf first, followed shortly after by Mr Loh on his hydrofoil board. That was the last time the friend saw Mr Loh.  As they were surfing separately, the friend had assumed that Mr Loh decided to surf far down west and did not take further notice of him. At the material time, there were also other f...

Year 4

It's been four years. The children and I are all blessedly OK. We are living in the same family home and they are following very normal, unremarkable life trajectories. May that be the case for many more years. #1 will be finishing his NS stint in the Naval Diving Unit at the end of this year. It's nice that he went into NDU, since KK was a commando. #2 has gotten a NUS scholarship and is studying Industrial Systems Engineering. She is staying in the hostel and is very much a grown-up now. Her favourite subject is Physics like her Papa. #3 has informed me that she managed to clear JC Year 1 by the skin of her teeth and will get promoted to Year 2. They are all good, sensible kids who try very hard not to waste my money. KK would have been so proud of them all. I am soldiering along, freelance writing.