S'pore nurse, 39, volunteered to take care of man, 71, with ALS & had no family, even handled his funeral arrangements

In November 2023, Chen Huihui, then a nursing assistant, met an elderly man, Fu, who went to see the doctor alone.

She recalled the encounter to Shin Min Daily News, remembering how she helped him with administrative tasks, and served as an unofficial translator, since he only knew Hokkien.

About a year later, Chen, now a nursing coordinator assistant responsible for patients with neuromuscular diseases, happened to meet the man again.

Fu was in a wheelchair and was accompanied by a social worker during his appointment.

He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Chen helped to buy Fu breakfast or lunch, and also often chatted with him.

Chen told Shin Min that Fu found it embarrassing to ask nurses to help with tasks like opening packets and was worried about imposing on her.

Chen continued to take care of Fu even after he was sent to a nursing home.

She visited him two to three times a week and served as a caregiver.

She would go to the hospital to see him each time he got warded for pneumonia.

She told Shin Min that she knew Fu did not have much time left, so she tried her best to accompany him for the last leg of his life.

The mother of three said she had the full support of her family, with her husband and eldest daughter helping to take care of her younger children when she went to take care of Fu.

As Fu's condition worsened, his outlook became bleaker, telling Chen he wanted to die.

Chen told Shin Min that she could only try to comfort him and cheer him up.

She told Fu, having gone to visit him often: "if one day you are suddenly gone, who will talk to me and joke with me?".

When Fu passed away in 2025, Chen even took it upon herself to handle his funeral arrangements.

Before his death, she had told him that she would handle his funeral arrangements as he was worried about costs and wanted to have his remains scattered at sea.

She also said she would find Fu a place to hold a memorial for him, and treat him as she would a family member so that he could rest in peace.

She said:

"After taking care of him for so long, of course I'm sad and need time to process it, but not having to suffer from the pain anymore is a relief for him."