Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was the first speaker during the State Funeral service conducted for the late former President S R Nathan.

Here are three points from his moving eulogy this afternoon (August 26, 2016) on the late former President:

1. A love affair for the ages.

S R Nathan first met his wife, Urmila Umi Nandey, when he was 18 and she was 13.

He courted her for a whooping 16 years before they got married in 1958. Describing their love as the "brightest thread" in Nathan's life, PM Lee thanked Mrs Nathan for being a steadfast anchor for her husband.

2. A man who placed his country before his life.

PM Lee highlighted the 1974 Laju incident (where Mr Nathan submitted himself as a hostage) which best exemplified the values which Nathan displayed in his career.

According to PM Lee, Mr Nathan lived fully, persevered through difficulties and risks, had immense integrity, and was committed to serving the nation. In particular, PM Lee mentioned that most people do not fully grasp the enormity of the incident and its consequences. PM Lee added that it "took great moral and physical courage" for Mr Nathan and the other 12 Singaporeans to risk their lives as hostages. Even Mr Nathan was unsure at that time if he would return home alive.

3. A man of letters. 

Lastly, PM Lee shared how he still kept in touch with Mr Nathan regularly and how Mr Nathan would still hand-write his correspondences.

Nathan's penmanship was always beautiful and steady, up to the day he passed. In particular, PM Lee mentioned that one of Nathan's recent notes to him was a 4-page letter, passing on a message from a friend.

PM Lee concluded that while there are many lessons for Singaporeans to learn from Mr Nathan's life, he hope Singaporeans, especially young Singaporeans, would draw a key lesson from Mr Nathan's memoirs, which is "not to give up".

Top photo is a screenshot from Toggle.

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