Funeral director who assisted with preparing Aloysius Pang for wake shares moving reflection on experience

'I held back my tears because I have a job to do. To make you presentable. To make you stylo milo. To make you yantao yantao.'

Joshua Lee | January 26, 2019, 11:42 AM

The tributes to fallen soldier Aloysius Pang are pouring in but the following one really stands out.

Written by Angjolie Mei, owner of funeral parlour The Life Celebrant, it is a heartbreaking walk through the process of assisting with preparation of Pang for his funeral.

Ang and her team were assisting the family's appointed company, City Funeral Singapore Pte Ltd, and its funeral director Alverna Cher, with final touch-ups before Pang was brought out to the wake at MacPherson Road on Friday evening.

The 28-year-old Singaporean actor had according to statements from the Ministry of Defence suffered severe injuries from the incident that took his life, but it isn't clear what state his body was in when it was flown home.

"All I could think of during that hour was to send you home, to your family, to your friends in a better state, definitely not in the state we received you. You deserve better," wrote Ang.

She went on to share how she assisted with touching up his face and preparing him for his final "walk down the red carpet".

According to Ang, it was an incredibly meaningful time for her and her team, assisting the embalmer and funeral company working with his family.

In case you can't see Ang's post above:

Today you came home. The entire nation was waiting anxiously for your arrival. After days of prayers, the unfortunate news hit us hard. The feeling i had was exactly the same the day I heard the demise of our late Mentor Lee.

I looked through your Instagram posts and the messages left on your wall. Countless lives you have touched. Endless posts with your name on it. The street was buzzing with your name, even my Non-Singaporean friends asked about you.

I couldn’t sleep that night I heard the news. I can’t help but ponder why why why. What exactly happened? Why couldn’t you escape?

Empathy washed over me, I replayed the scene you were in those unfortunate moments over and over again. At times, i felt I couldn’t breathe. You probably felt that too.

This evening, I saw you. You are much taller than I expected. I am forever grateful to your family and your funeral director, who allowed us to care for you before the public sees you. It was such a meaningful task for us.

When the lid of the coffin opened, my heart broke ?. I held back my tears because I have a job to do. To make you presentable. To make you stylo milo. To make you yantao yantao.

This is the first time I came in close contact with you.

All I could think of during that hour was to send you home, to your family, to your friends in a better state, definitely not in the state we received you. You deserve better.

We changed you into your favourite black outfit. Your stubbles, we delicately trimmed. Your signature eyebrows, we carefully brushed. Your beautiful face, we gently touched up.

Your hairstyle, your stylist gingerly styled to perfection.

Now, you are ready to walk down the red carpet.

I wish I could have met you on a different occasion and compete the number of black outfits we have.

Nevertheless, I am thankful for the hour we spent together, learning so much about you. Your generosity, your integrity, your deeds. Thank you for allowing my team to do your final touch up. Thank you for giving us the strength and the power to do our best in caring for you.

With a very heavy heart, I bid your farewell as it was time to send you home to an anticipatory crowd. Till we meet again.

Truly heartbreaking indeed.

If you wish to see Aloysius Pang for the last time:

Top photos via Singapore Bereavement Services and Aloysius Pang's Facebook page.