I could not only watch as driver drove on
Mum recalls helpless moments during accident
HE was walking ahead and crossing the road with his mother and kid brother when it happened.
Kwang Zhen in a TV grab from infotainment programme A Singapore Montage which was shown on Channel U last night.
In a flash, the car had slammed into Tan Kwang Zhen, throwing the 14-year-old schoolboy onto its windscreen.
His mother, Mrs Tan, 45, could only look on helplessly, as the car continued going.
She told Shin Min: 'I was holding my youngest son's hand, and could only watch as the driver ran into him and continue driving.
'I gave chase, but it was all too late.'
The accident happened along Jurong West Ave 1 at 7.45pm last Thursday.
They were on their way to buy things.
Mrs Tan said the car drove on for 60m, or two lamp posts away, before it came to a stop.
Kwang Zhen fell onto the road.
When she finally caught up with the car, her son was already unconscious.
All she could see was that her son's head and limbs were heavily injured, she said.
Kwang Zhen died in hospital yesterday.
The accident was a particularly cruel twist of fate for his family, who had witnessed the teen bravely battle leukaemia for 18 months.
The schoolboy - who was diagnosed as having cancer when he was 12 - appeared to have turned a corner when his cancer went into remission recently.
Just two months ago, the Fuhua Secondary One teen had recovered so much that he was well enough to return to school and start the next chapter of his studies.
Kwang Zhen's father, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, told The New Paper last night at his flat that his son had a strong character.
'Even the doctors who were treating him for leukaemia always told me that he was a brave boy,' he said.
He declined to say more as the family somberly gathered in the living room while several friends and relatives visited them.
The driver was arrested six hours later at home.
The police confirmed that the 27-year-old driver is assisting in investigations.
Kwang Zhen was cremated yesterday afternoon, and his funeral was attended by his teachers and 25 schoolmates from Fuhua Secondary.
'The leukaemia treatment was so hard on him but he survived,' said Mrs Tan.
'Who would have thought he couldn't escape this accident?'
Kwang Zhen is her second child. He has two brothers, 18 and 7, and the family lives at Block 322 Jurong East.
Kwang Zhen was an active and healthy boy before he was diagnosed with leukaemia nearly two years ago.
On 29 Dec 2004, he discovered a large red bruise on his leg.
At first, he thought it was a sprain, but when the bruise did not go away, his parents took him to a clinic to have it examined.
Doctors then diagnosed him with leukaemia and told him he had a 20 per cent chance of survival.
It was difficult news for both Kwang Zhen and his family to accept, but with his family's encouragement, he fought the disease.
Kwang Zhen was recently interviewed for the Channel U documentary A Singapore Montage, which was shown last night.
Mrs Tan said her son had been interviewed several times by the media on his fight against leukaemia.
He always encouraged other sufferers to be strong, she said.
The programme's crew had gone to his school a few weeks ago, and Kwang Zhen had spoken about his school life after overcoming his illness.
At the family's flat last night, the family were clearly too distraught to speak.
Mr Tan pleaded with reporters who tried to get an interview with the family to leave them alone.
'There is really nothing more to say,' he said.
I read this off a thread on singaporebikes.com.
I came across the mentioned programme that was on show in the tv. Was it last week or the previous one ?
The programme showcases extraordinary people that fend off all hardships and overcome their predicament!
Kwang Zhen was one of them.
At a young age, he had to battle leukaemia, something that not even you and me might experience in our whole life, we will never know how painful it is to fight this battle.
Kwang fought well. He fought hard. It was painful but he fought with courage and smile, never once did he let the pain show on his face.
Kwang Zhen won the battle against Leukaemia, his condition improved tremendously and he was back to school sooner than everyone expected.
Just when the future brightens up for him , an accident took his life away....
He won the disease but he lost it to an accident....
This sets me thinking, "Is our life destined?"
Do you think our life is destined ?
And if so , what is my destiny ?
I would like to know.... hopefully i can be someone useful to the society... not just another rubbish like that ones i see every other day....
