Newspaper Review 1

Date: Monday, 1 Dec 2008
Title: Laid to rest with her favourite things
Section: The Straits Times-- Prime A1

Summary:

The body of the 28-year-old Singaporean lawyer, Ms Lo Hwei Yen, who was shot and killed by terrorists arrived Singapore from Mumbai early Sunday morning. Over 250 people, including MP Sam Tan and strangers, turned up at her wake at Lower Delta Road condominium where her family has lived for 18 years. She had on the tailored crimson cheong-sam that she had worn for her wedding last year and beside her in the white coffin was the cherished Hermes Birkin bag that her husband had given her. Her sister said the family wanted her to look her best and be surrounded by favourite things and loved ones at the very end. Accompanying her back home was a devastated 37-year-old husband. Her family members learnt from her firm that she had flown to Mumbai after accepting an invitation to speak at a business seminar. Her firm partner, Durai Shunmugam, said she had the "rare ability to be strong and yet be soft... she'd put things across in such a way that you wouldn't have a choice but to say "yes"- and still you smile." A housewife, who lived in the same condominium, said, "We don't have words to express our grief."

Reflection:

I feel sorry for Hwei Yen. She had only went to Mumbai for a business seminar and had just delivered her talk mere hours before terrorists stormed her hotel. I'm sure it was a devastating news for her family members and friends as they didn't know that this would happen. I feel touched when her family members placed her favourite items around her in her coffin and many people had turned up at her wake, even strangers. She was so popular among her friends as she was friendly and cheerful, which i think it was unfortunate for her to be held hostage and killed by terrorists.
No one could have predicted that this would happen and I can only say "Take it easy" to her grieved family and friends. This also tells us that life is so unpredictable and we would not know what will happen the very next moment, thus we should cherish our life and time with our family and friends.

YingLing