There are a lot of impressive achievements S R Nathan accrued over the course of his life.

He set up initiatives like the President's challenge that has contributed over $160 million to various charities.

He is famous for his role in the Laju hostage crisis, where he lead a 13 man party to be held as guarantors for the Laju ferry hostage takers.

Perhaps, more impressive than him serving as guarantor, was what he said afterwards.

"Laju was nothing, it was just an instance. We all carry these responsibilities in public service."

These impressive feats will rightfully be brought up in the coming tributes to the man.

But perhaps more than these televised and documented acts, small gestures which he might not even have remembered could paint a more vivid picture of the former president.

Commission parade

On Reddit Singapore, an online community, a redditor by the username Neralo, shared a S R Nathan story he experienced back during his National Serivce days.

When I was a lowly officer cadet in 2011, and the senior batch were about to commission, he was the reviewing officer, for his last commissioning parade as President.

As luck would have it, it rained cats and dogs that day, but the cadets continued to March in the rain.

Normally there's a parade review, but if it rains, that part is taken out so that the reviewing officer doesn't need to get drenched. Except he did get absolutely soaked. Because he chose to do the review.

Later during my own commissioning parade training I had a chance to talk to my encik while facing disciplinary action for an unrelated incident.

The conversation came around to the previous batches commissioning parade, the one where President Nathan braved the rain to review the cadets.

He told me they tried to stop the review but Nathan himself refused. He even refused an umbrella, saying, "if the cadets who give their lives in service of our nation can stand in the rain, the least I can do is stand with them"

That incident cemented my utmost respect for the man. So much so that I went out of my way to take an unrelated module in uni just so that I could have the pleasure of being taught by him.

President Nathan, you've earned your rest.

He certainly has.

Top image from National Archives

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.