Kenny's Eulogy
Previously posted on facebook. Now here for friends not on my FB.
*****
This is a little story about my best friend, our silly antics and fun times we shared.
I was first acquainted to Kenny when we got into Junior College at the age of seventeen. We were both enrolled into St Andrew's, and our first point of contact was during JC orientation. You know there's something different about Kenny the first time you meet him. He is energetic, cheerful and man is he loud! You hear him before you even see him!
During the course of our study, he effortlessly livened the entire class with his singing and goofy antics. Amongst his other musical talents is composition. He composed a tune for our class to perform during a National Day Talent Time competition and we came up number one in the entire school. We even beat JJ 林俊杰! Perhaps my JC classmates can still recall the tune?
We shared both good times and bad. Kenny and I were chronic late comers, always late for school. Believe me, there was quite a bit of thrill dashing down from the public bus and running into the school compound almost every morning just to beat the school bell. Fail to do so? The hairy eared Indian discipline master awaits. Kenny fared worst than I did, because he was constantly targeted by my form tutor. She nicknamed him the “fair weather boy”, because when it rained he did not even bother to come to school!
Our favourite past time is to play 猜拳 (5, 10) in the study room during breaks. It was one of the easy games to play when we were bored out of our minds studying. Whoever lost had to forfeit in front of all the other students. Once I lost, I had to carry the fire extinguisher, run around the room and shout “燥火了！燥火了！” with everyone looking on like I was the perfect moron. Another time when Kenny lost, I made him sling a dainty little bright red bag from one of my female classmates on his back, and parade around the school in full view of other students. Crazy, mindless days those were. Always in my memories.
After JC, there was a brief period when both of us had limited contact. I guess staying in during early army days made it harder for us to keep in touch. All of a sudden, I heard about him signing on to army. Kenny?!? Signed on?!? As incredulous as it sounds, he excelled in the force, naturally. Not surprisingly he is well loved by his colleagues and made many good friends there.
We hung out often whenever I have time back in Singapore. We are still the dynamic duo we were, constantly pushing the boundaries of retardedness with our self glorified talent of conjuring the utmost stupid lyrics to pop tunes. In fact we were close to compiling an album of wacky songs for Kenny to perform, the titles of which were already made known to some of our close friends who had the misfortune of hearing him perform. Name a few if you still recall!
For the last two years running, Kenny had been the organiser of my birthday. I never had any birthday parties prior and it was him who nudged me to do something about it. He volunteered to plan and host the event, though he did not even turned up last year! Nonetheless, I bet many who attended can attest to what a blast those parties were! Erm.. details are better left out at this point. Kudos to Kenny, whoever helps with upcoming birthdays have very large shoes to fill!
Kenny is one of my closest friends, and probably one of the really few people in the world to see the ugliest side of me, ever. It never amazes me how crazy I can be when I am in his company. It's like, with him, there is a total lost of inhibition, to just forgo all worries, soak up the moment and just have fun. It comes so naturally when I hang out with him. He dissipates my problems and make me feel like a child without a care for the world, without regard for what others think of me.
Because of that, Kenny is one person everyone loves to hang out with. His bubbly personality is so infectious he can swing anyone out of a bad mood at a finger snap. He would brighten up a room of people the moment he walked in. It's a feat if you can talk to him for even a few minutes without bursting out laughing. He loves people, and is not afraid to look stupid or uglify himself to entertain others. Esteem and pride meant nothing to him if it was what it took to make people around him happy.
During his hospitalisation days, I routinely visited him and saw through a large part of his progress. His spirit encourages me, because even though he had tubes everywhere and is obviously not in much comfort, he would still strive to entertain his visitors when he is awake. He could not talk, but often made funny facial gestures to communicate. Even in his agony he wanted to make people feel good.
If there is anything Kenny has taught me, it is that I should live life the way I want to, and not limited by other people's perception and opinion of me. He is always confident and believes a great deal in himself, and that is something I have always looked up to.
You know, one of Kenny's wishes is for us is to remain happy and upbeat even after his passing. Think of the happy memories you have shared with him. Smile, and take solace that he is no longer suffering. Do not cry, nor be sad. He lived fabulously. He lived a great life.
If the meaning of life is measured by how much joy one has brought to others, how one has touched other's lives, Kenny would have easily scored a distinction on the report card.
He may not be with us now, but his love, spirit and zest for life lives on in the lives of those he had touched.
I love you, best friend.
*****
This is a little story about my best friend, our silly antics and fun times we shared.
I was first acquainted to Kenny when we got into Junior College at the age of seventeen. We were both enrolled into St Andrew's, and our first point of contact was during JC orientation. You know there's something different about Kenny the first time you meet him. He is energetic, cheerful and man is he loud! You hear him before you even see him!
During the course of our study, he effortlessly livened the entire class with his singing and goofy antics. Amongst his other musical talents is composition. He composed a tune for our class to perform during a National Day Talent Time competition and we came up number one in the entire school. We even beat JJ 林俊杰! Perhaps my JC classmates can still recall the tune?
We shared both good times and bad. Kenny and I were chronic late comers, always late for school. Believe me, there was quite a bit of thrill dashing down from the public bus and running into the school compound almost every morning just to beat the school bell. Fail to do so? The hairy eared Indian discipline master awaits. Kenny fared worst than I did, because he was constantly targeted by my form tutor. She nicknamed him the “fair weather boy”, because when it rained he did not even bother to come to school!
Our favourite past time is to play 猜拳 (5, 10) in the study room during breaks. It was one of the easy games to play when we were bored out of our minds studying. Whoever lost had to forfeit in front of all the other students. Once I lost, I had to carry the fire extinguisher, run around the room and shout “燥火了！燥火了！” with everyone looking on like I was the perfect moron. Another time when Kenny lost, I made him sling a dainty little bright red bag from one of my female classmates on his back, and parade around the school in full view of other students. Crazy, mindless days those were. Always in my memories.
After JC, there was a brief period when both of us had limited contact. I guess staying in during early army days made it harder for us to keep in touch. All of a sudden, I heard about him signing on to army. Kenny?!? Signed on?!? As incredulous as it sounds, he excelled in the force, naturally. Not surprisingly he is well loved by his colleagues and made many good friends there.
We hung out often whenever I have time back in Singapore. We are still the dynamic duo we were, constantly pushing the boundaries of retardedness with our self glorified talent of conjuring the utmost stupid lyrics to pop tunes. In fact we were close to compiling an album of wacky songs for Kenny to perform, the titles of which were already made known to some of our close friends who had the misfortune of hearing him perform. Name a few if you still recall!
For the last two years running, Kenny had been the organiser of my birthday. I never had any birthday parties prior and it was him who nudged me to do something about it. He volunteered to plan and host the event, though he did not even turned up last year! Nonetheless, I bet many who attended can attest to what a blast those parties were! Erm.. details are better left out at this point. Kudos to Kenny, whoever helps with upcoming birthdays have very large shoes to fill!
Kenny is one of my closest friends, and probably one of the really few people in the world to see the ugliest side of me, ever. It never amazes me how crazy I can be when I am in his company. It's like, with him, there is a total lost of inhibition, to just forgo all worries, soak up the moment and just have fun. It comes so naturally when I hang out with him. He dissipates my problems and make me feel like a child without a care for the world, without regard for what others think of me.
Because of that, Kenny is one person everyone loves to hang out with. His bubbly personality is so infectious he can swing anyone out of a bad mood at a finger snap. He would brighten up a room of people the moment he walked in. It's a feat if you can talk to him for even a few minutes without bursting out laughing. He loves people, and is not afraid to look stupid or uglify himself to entertain others. Esteem and pride meant nothing to him if it was what it took to make people around him happy.
During his hospitalisation days, I routinely visited him and saw through a large part of his progress. His spirit encourages me, because even though he had tubes everywhere and is obviously not in much comfort, he would still strive to entertain his visitors when he is awake. He could not talk, but often made funny facial gestures to communicate. Even in his agony he wanted to make people feel good.
If there is anything Kenny has taught me, it is that I should live life the way I want to, and not limited by other people's perception and opinion of me. He is always confident and believes a great deal in himself, and that is something I have always looked up to.
You know, one of Kenny's wishes is for us is to remain happy and upbeat even after his passing. Think of the happy memories you have shared with him. Smile, and take solace that he is no longer suffering. Do not cry, nor be sad. He lived fabulously. He lived a great life.
If the meaning of life is measured by how much joy one has brought to others, how one has touched other's lives, Kenny would have easily scored a distinction on the report card.
He may not be with us now, but his love, spirit and zest for life lives on in the lives of those he had touched.
I love you, best friend.