NDP 2018 might seem like a distant memory now, but one particular standout moment from that year's celebration was a short story told of one Woo Yun Sum's life.

Woo became a Samsui woman at 15, and talked a bit about the struggles she went through, and her own feelings on how far Singapore had come after all this time.

She worked as a Samsui woman for over 20 years.

Despite the hardship and struggle, Woo was grateful towards the older Samsui women who took care of her.

That particular segment was dubbed in Cantonese.

Woo's segment was initially presented in Mandarin, but she did not speak a word of it.

Knowing that Woo may not entirely understand the film, the NDP team gathered people who can speak Cantonese to dub the film just for Woo, so as to share the fruit of labour with her.

The anecdote was shared by Singaporean filmmaker Boo Junfeng, who was also the creative director of NDP 2018.

You can read more about it here.

On May 9, 2020, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shared the tragic news that the 90-year-old had passed away.

"I shared her story at my National Day Rally that year. Her quiet resilience was captured by her matter of fact description of how the Pioneer Generation lived: 有饭吃饭，有粥吃粥 (When there is rice, eat rice; when there is porridge, eat porridge)."

You can watch that segment here.

Boo Junfeng also shared his condolences on Instagram, and paid tribute to Woo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_7U6aDnbUq/

Image from NDP Exco and PMO