A 14-year-old boy was in the middle of a 2.4km physical fitness test run, when he suddenly collapsed at around 8am on May 2.
The boy, surnamed Lu (transliteration from Mandarin), was rushed from Woodlands Secondary School to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, but he fell into a coma, reported Lianhe Zaobao.
He was subsequently hospitalised for around three weeks, and throughout this period, Lu's mother stayed by his bedside, took care of him, and cheered him on constantly, hoping for a miracle.
However, on May 25, 24 days after Lu fell into a coma, his doctor confirmed that he was brain dead.
Lu never mentioned discomfort in heart
Speaking to Zaobao, Lu's mother, surnamed Su (transliteration from Mandarin), said she had never thought her goodbye to her son in front of his school on May 2 would be her last.
She said the doctor believed that Lu's heart had an irregular heartbeat and he could not handle the strenuous exercise.
"The condition does not run in our family, and Lu has never complained to me about any discomfort in his heart. The incident unfolded so quickly," shared Su.
Mum decided to fulfil Lu's wish by donating his organs
While Su was grieving, she had to make another difficult decision: Whether to donate her son's organs.
Like many parents, Su also wanted to protect her child from undergoing surgery after his passing, but her position began to waver when she learned that there are currently more than 400 patients waiting for organ transplants.
Additionally, Su also recalled that Lu had shared with her multiple times that his biggest dream was to help more people.
"After thinking about it from my son's perspective, I decided to share our decision with the organ transplant coordinator over the phone the next day," recounted Su.
Lu saved over three lives
On the day Su signed the papers agreeing to donate her son's organs, around 30 friends and relatives arrived at the hospital to bid Lu farewell and support Su.
According to the Zaobao reporter who witnessed the scene, the group sang a hymn for Lu for one last time before sending him into the operating room, eyes filled with tears.
One attendee shared that Lu, who loved to help others, was adored by his church members and was referred to as "sweetheart".
Upon the completion of the surgery on May 26, the hospital told Su that Lu's organs, including his cornea, liver, kidney, pancreas, and skin, helped at least three patients in need.
Lu's wake will be held at Block 754A Woodlands Circle, and his funeral will be held at 10:25am on May 30.
Mum underwent multiple hardships
The passing of Lu took place just two years after Su lost her husband to liver cancer in 2022.
The couple, both Singapore permanent residents, brought Lu, their youngest son, from Malaysia to Singapore for primary school in 2017.
Subsequently, the couple's two elder sons also moved to Singapore to live with them.
After Su lost her husband, she lost all the insurance payments, Central Provident Fund (CPF), and savings left by her husband to a malware scam in October 2023.
Amidst the series of hardships, Su was grateful for her family and friends, who supported her unconditionally and helped her become more resilient.
Statement from Woodlands Secondary School
The principal of Woodlands Secondary School told Zaobao that the school had conducted an internal review after Lu's incident to ensure all safety guidelines were adhered to.
All students who participate in physical activities must first undergo a warm-up session and a fitness assessment, added the principal.
Over the past few weeks, the principal said the school had also been visiting Lu and his family regularly and providing support for Lu's friends and classmates when necessary.
Top image via Lianhe Zaobao