“How could these five ordinary men who lived in our midst — no airs, no superstar pretensions — have made such an impact on our collective psyche this week?
I think it is because we recognised that regular guys could do pretty extraordinary things; that they had simple goals; and that they had a determination to succeed and do well for themselves, their families and their country.
They revelled in camaraderie, knew the importance of teamwork and of pulling together in the same direction. They embodied a spirit for fun and adventure that many of us would like to have experienced but rarely make the time for.
If their lives are to mean anything, we should not forget what they represented.”
FROM :
“Five ordinary men, an extraordinary legacy” by Paul Jacob
Thinking Aloud column, December 1, 2007, The Straits Times
Monday, January 14, 2008
A fellow Commando officer of Stephen wrote in Stephens' blog comments to the effect that WHY WHY WHY.. damn it that it had got to be him! A Cdo officer who could not extricate himself from a dangerous situation .. and if that had happened during service at Hendon Camp, the punishments of which he need not be reminded of but Stephen was "punished" for this and paid the penultimate price -- with his life!
I am sure that the officer friend was not really blaming him for what he could not have done, but spoken with the exactitude of the mindset and pschological make up of a red head affectionately, in part frustration and in part exultation that really Stephen could have done better and Hendon Camp would not have lost one of its finer Officer and Gentleman as testified to by so many of his students and by the people whose lives he had inspired and touched whether student or fellow dragon boating mates/rowers.
Stephen, we all know really how you must have tried and no one blames you for not succeeding once in your life to laden us with this sorrow and regret for your celebrated life.
When commando mates should "tick you off" for failing, in helpless and dejected anger, you, who was trained as one, would no doubt know too well only that that is all that could be expected of the rugged guys and men whom you once served with but all had only felt the anger for you as we all know that Hendon Camp shall miss the home coming of one of her finer boys. Semper fidelis -- as with the marines who do not die but just fade away -- you too shall not age nor become wrinkled but forever be remembered in your fit hunky glory till memories too shall fade and the rest of your mates be they from Hendon or dragon boating join you too in a better place than earth which had deprived you of your life albeit so deserving.
To the rest of us -- all this had taught us a good lesson -- not of life vest wearing and such but of the fact that we should never be complacent with life and more importantly never to take the time accorded us to spend with friends for granted.
Cherish all our friends for no matter how fit they are, they are not here forever. If there are any thing nice to say about them-- show them your appreciation and say so when they could still be around to appreciate it and hear it.
Before you say "no" to a friend and turn away a friends' request, think if it might not be too late to say "yes" the next time when you wanted to.
Deepest condolences to all the families and friends of the five of whom many of my personal friends have been and we shall all miss them ever more at future races.
"Paddles UP" and special salutations for Stephen, who was the only one I had spoken to and only so recently-- for Honour and Glory- did you finally lay down your life and rest in peace whilst representing Singapore.
SilverFox70
I am sure that the officer friend was not really blaming him for what he could not have done, but spoken with the exactitude of the mindset and pschological make up of a red head affectionately, in part frustration and in part exultation that really Stephen could have done better and Hendon Camp would not have lost one of its finer Officer and Gentleman as testified to by so many of his students and by the people whose lives he had inspired and touched whether student or fellow dragon boating mates/rowers.
Stephen, we all know really how you must have tried and no one blames you for not succeeding once in your life to laden us with this sorrow and regret for your celebrated life.
When commando mates should "tick you off" for failing, in helpless and dejected anger, you, who was trained as one, would no doubt know too well only that that is all that could be expected of the rugged guys and men whom you once served with but all had only felt the anger for you as we all know that Hendon Camp shall miss the home coming of one of her finer boys. Semper fidelis -- as with the marines who do not die but just fade away -- you too shall not age nor become wrinkled but forever be remembered in your fit hunky glory till memories too shall fade and the rest of your mates be they from Hendon or dragon boating join you too in a better place than earth which had deprived you of your life albeit so deserving.
To the rest of us -- all this had taught us a good lesson -- not of life vest wearing and such but of the fact that we should never be complacent with life and more importantly never to take the time accorded us to spend with friends for granted.
Cherish all our friends for no matter how fit they are, they are not here forever. If there are any thing nice to say about them-- show them your appreciation and say so when they could still be around to appreciate it and hear it.
Before you say "no" to a friend and turn away a friends' request, think if it might not be too late to say "yes" the next time when you wanted to.
Deepest condolences to all the families and friends of the five of whom many of my personal friends have been and we shall all miss them ever more at future races.
"Paddles UP" and special salutations for Stephen, who was the only one I had spoken to and only so recently-- for Honour and Glory- did you finally lay down your life and rest in peace whilst representing Singapore.
SilverFox70
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
During my second day there (in Indonesia), I received a sad news (SMS) from Seok Kuan. She messaged saying that the national dragon boat team, competing in Cambodia met with an accident. 5 men were missing. One of them was Stephen Loh Soon Ann. I prayed for his safety.
The following day, the sad news came....his body was found. I was dumbfounded. Devastated....
We weren't the best of friends. Neither do we talk everyday when we were trainees in NIE. The late Stephen was arguably the fittest person I've ever met in my life. We once sat in the canteen having lunch when I asked him how often he trained to get a muscular body like his. He said twice a day. He'd go to the gym in the morning, eat, went back to the hall (dorm) to sleep the whole afternoon and train again in the evening. He's a very agile person. Soft spoken, smart and asks the smartest of questions during lectures. My impression of Stephen.
I first saw him way before we entered NIE. I was playing soccer with my camp mates and Andy Liew brought some of his NTU dragon boat friends with him to play soccer in NUS handball court. That was when I saw Stephen for the first time. A few years later, he was a colleague...classmates.
The last time I saw Stephen was during the September holidays this year. We played soccer at the Cage during the September holidays. I was just talking to Ryan today when we were in the gym about the last time we saw Stephen. He came late during our Cage session and started scoring the moment he came in. I can't believe that I'll never see him again.
I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed that I can't attend his wake. But I'm a newly wed. I wouldn't want to make my wife and my in-laws unhappy. I guess there are things in life that I have to face.
Earlier this year, it was a PE guy (Zam) who met with a fatal accident at Mount Ophir. Now, it's my own friend. Someone who I know and play and talk to personally. I will always remember Stephen as a competitor, a gentleman, arguably the fittest person I've met and a friend. I am sure that Stephen would have a better life on the other side in spite of the fact that he had left his family and his loved ones behind. To you my friend, Stephen Loh Soon Ann, rest in peace. You will always be remembered.
Rest-in-peace my dear friend.
Treasure your loved ones. You'll never know when you might lose them.
RuDy...
FROM :
http://rudy-myblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/it-has-been-eventful-weekboth-of.html
The following day, the sad news came....his body was found. I was dumbfounded. Devastated....
We weren't the best of friends. Neither do we talk everyday when we were trainees in NIE. The late Stephen was arguably the fittest person I've ever met in my life. We once sat in the canteen having lunch when I asked him how often he trained to get a muscular body like his. He said twice a day. He'd go to the gym in the morning, eat, went back to the hall (dorm) to sleep the whole afternoon and train again in the evening. He's a very agile person. Soft spoken, smart and asks the smartest of questions during lectures. My impression of Stephen.
I first saw him way before we entered NIE. I was playing soccer with my camp mates and Andy Liew brought some of his NTU dragon boat friends with him to play soccer in NUS handball court. That was when I saw Stephen for the first time. A few years later, he was a colleague...classmates.
The last time I saw Stephen was during the September holidays this year. We played soccer at the Cage during the September holidays. I was just talking to Ryan today when we were in the gym about the last time we saw Stephen. He came late during our Cage session and started scoring the moment he came in. I can't believe that I'll never see him again.
I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed that I can't attend his wake. But I'm a newly wed. I wouldn't want to make my wife and my in-laws unhappy. I guess there are things in life that I have to face.
Earlier this year, it was a PE guy (Zam) who met with a fatal accident at Mount Ophir. Now, it's my own friend. Someone who I know and play and talk to personally. I will always remember Stephen as a competitor, a gentleman, arguably the fittest person I've met and a friend. I am sure that Stephen would have a better life on the other side in spite of the fact that he had left his family and his loved ones behind. To you my friend, Stephen Loh Soon Ann, rest in peace. You will always be remembered.
Rest-in-peace my dear friend.
Treasure your loved ones. You'll never know when you might lose them.
RuDy...
FROM :
http://rudy-myblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/it-has-been-eventful-weekboth-of.html
I'm finally backk from 2 weeks of MIA-ing. Things happened too sudden that I'm not even aware that time really don't waits. yupp. Received a call from *Mich on Sunday afternoon (just after my clubbing session with Fenn and Esther @ O Bar) when I'm still sleeping and she told me about the tragedy of the dragonboat accident in Cambodia. One of the bodies found were Mr Stephen Loh Soon Ann. This really was a shock to me. I woke up from my sleep, sat on my bed and stared at the wall with a blank mind. Just couldn't think of anything. Too fast for me to react on. Watched the news, read the newspaper. Everywhere in Singapore is talking about this. & one of them which I know. Though he was in charge of Softball for not more than 1 year. He was someone whom many of us respected & we will always be. He was more like a friend to me rather a teacher. He joked with us, went through the tough trainings he gave us, taught us. 31 years old. Perfectly healthy, career taking off, handsome young man. They just took him away from this world, from his family, from his friends. From everything. WHY? Perhaps it's all predestined. Nobody knows. Still remember vividly, there was this time after our training Mr Poon (one of the 17 who was saved during the accident), drove us to Bishan together with Mr Loh. 8 of us in a small car. It was filled with only laughters. Noo worries, noo tears, noo sorrows. Attended Mr Stephen Loh's wake on tuesday night. All of us were soo tensed on the way to the wake. When I was waiting for my turn to pay my last respect for him, I could feel the tensed atmosphere there. Standing by his coffin side, I almost couldn't control my emotions. Went out of his house and sat together with Mich and gang. Just by looking the number of people attending his wake, you could see how important he holds a place in each and everyone's heart. We said the prayers and his father talked to whole hall of people using the mic. He joked a little and told us the little stories of Stephen. The most heartwrenching part was when he told us that he went in the room to recognise his body. It was beyond recognition. The stress of this sentence, Beyond. He recongnised his son merely by opening his mouth to see his overleaping teeth. When I heard this, I couldn't control anymore.
Now and then, I would think of him when I was in Ftpss. This tragedy indeed let me learn alot. It made me understand that people gain and loss. Treasure those you love for you don't know what will happen next. His smile would always remain in my heart forever. Hope he will rest in peace. :'( Same goes to the rest of the four who lost their lifes in this tragedy.
Always remembered and respected, Mr Stephen Loh Soon Ann.
TinTin_71 FTPSS Softball Team (2001-2005)
FROM :
http://www.xanga.com/would_u_be_there/630193246/in-memorance-mr-stephen-loh-soon-ann.html
Now and then, I would think of him when I was in Ftpss. This tragedy indeed let me learn alot. It made me understand that people gain and loss. Treasure those you love for you don't know what will happen next. His smile would always remain in my heart forever. Hope he will rest in peace. :'( Same goes to the rest of the four who lost their lifes in this tragedy.
Always remembered and respected, Mr Stephen Loh Soon Ann.
TinTin_71 FTPSS Softball Team (2001-2005)
FROM :
http://www.xanga.com/would_u_be_there/630193246/in-memorance-mr-stephen-loh-soon-ann.html
Principal says Stephen Loh was 'a teacher of promise'
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 25 November 2007 2140 hrs
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/313650/1/.html
SINGAPORE: National Junior College Principal Virginia Cheng described 31-year-old physical education teacher Stephen Loh Soon Ann, who died in Friday's boating accident in Cambodia, as a teacher of promise.
An engineer who made a mid-career switch to become a teacher only six months ago, Mr Loh had already made an impact in the school by building up a strong squash team and being involved in leadership building and the track and field team.
"We are saddened because in the six months, he was very, very engrossed with teaching... he was a teacher of promise and (his) switch to (the) teaching profession was a good one. The kids loved him," said Mrs Cheng.
Naturally, the news came as a shock for all.
"They knew that Stephen had gone to Cambodia. Everybody was very anxious and when they said he was among the five who were missing, that was a terrible moment for us," she added.
With news that his body was found on Sunday morning, the school will now meet teachers and students to offer help and counselling.
"Usually when such tragedy strikes, the reaction sets in later. We think we should be there for the children and the teachers, and also those who have worked with him. I am sure Stephen will want us to be strong," said Mrs Cheng.
The school is also in touch with his family to offer whatever help they can.
- CNA/so
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 25 November 2007 2140 hrs
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/313650/1/.html
SINGAPORE: National Junior College Principal Virginia Cheng described 31-year-old physical education teacher Stephen Loh Soon Ann, who died in Friday's boating accident in Cambodia, as a teacher of promise.
An engineer who made a mid-career switch to become a teacher only six months ago, Mr Loh had already made an impact in the school by building up a strong squash team and being involved in leadership building and the track and field team.
"We are saddened because in the six months, he was very, very engrossed with teaching... he was a teacher of promise and (his) switch to (the) teaching profession was a good one. The kids loved him," said Mrs Cheng.
Naturally, the news came as a shock for all.
"They knew that Stephen had gone to Cambodia. Everybody was very anxious and when they said he was among the five who were missing, that was a terrible moment for us," she added.
With news that his body was found on Sunday morning, the school will now meet teachers and students to offer help and counselling.
"Usually when such tragedy strikes, the reaction sets in later. We think we should be there for the children and the teachers, and also those who have worked with him. I am sure Stephen will want us to be strong," said Mrs Cheng.
The school is also in touch with his family to offer whatever help they can.
- CNA/so
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Passion and focus were also traits that another victim
Mr Stephen Loh, possessed, said his father Mr Victor
Loh, 64.
He also described his son, a PE teacher at National
Junior College, as an independent and obedient son.
Said Mr Loh: 'When he was in Primary 2, he came home
one day to tell us that he didn't want to take the
school bus any more because the woman on the bus was
not nice. He started taking two buses to Saint Andrews
School every day.
'Once, we lost him at a shopping centre and he was
just waiting for us at the main entrance.'
He also described Stephen as a frugal person.
He said: 'His grandfather left $28,000 for him to buy
a car, but he didn't want to use it. He wants to keep
it for further studies, to get a sports science
degree.'
Brawn and brains were what his son possessed, said Mr
Loh, who has two other sons aged 33 and 26.
Mr Loh said Stephen obtained a bachelor's degree and a
masters in engineering and worked for one year as an
engineer before quitting to join teaching.
SUPER-FIT
His son was also a super-fit man, who was a commando
officer during national service and completed a
marathon recently after two weeks of training.
Said Mr Loh: 'I never had to worry about his studies
or anything.'
Nor did he and his wife Cathy Loh, 59, have to worry
about his involvement in dragon-boat racing.
But even Stephen's super-fit status could not have
saved his life, said Mr Loh.
'In an open sea, they would have all survived. But
it's because they were swept under the pontoon. If you
can't surface, you can't breathe, you will drown...
'I hope the people in Singapore will learn from this.
I hope the sacrifice of my son will help prevent
similar incidents in the future.'
Taken from The New Paper article by Kor Kian Beng (Cambodia) (November 27, 2007)
Mr Stephen Loh, possessed, said his father Mr Victor
Loh, 64.
He also described his son, a PE teacher at National
Junior College, as an independent and obedient son.
Said Mr Loh: 'When he was in Primary 2, he came home
one day to tell us that he didn't want to take the
school bus any more because the woman on the bus was
not nice. He started taking two buses to Saint Andrews
School every day.
'Once, we lost him at a shopping centre and he was
just waiting for us at the main entrance.'
He also described Stephen as a frugal person.
He said: 'His grandfather left $28,000 for him to buy
a car, but he didn't want to use it. He wants to keep
it for further studies, to get a sports science
degree.'
Brawn and brains were what his son possessed, said Mr
Loh, who has two other sons aged 33 and 26.
Mr Loh said Stephen obtained a bachelor's degree and a
masters in engineering and worked for one year as an
engineer before quitting to join teaching.
SUPER-FIT
His son was also a super-fit man, who was a commando
officer during national service and completed a
marathon recently after two weeks of training.
Said Mr Loh: 'I never had to worry about his studies
or anything.'
Nor did he and his wife Cathy Loh, 59, have to worry
about his involvement in dragon-boat racing.
But even Stephen's super-fit status could not have
saved his life, said Mr Loh.
'In an open sea, they would have all survived. But
it's because they were swept under the pontoon. If you
can't surface, you can't breathe, you will drown...
'I hope the people in Singapore will learn from this.
I hope the sacrifice of my son will help prevent
similar incidents in the future.'
Taken from The New Paper article by Kor Kian Beng (Cambodia) (November 27, 2007)
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