M'sia man, 57, has stroke & can't climb to 4th floor unit, daughter stays with him in car to look after him

A 57-year-old single father from Penang Island had to live with his 16-year-old daughter in their car for four days, after losing his mobility to a stroke.

According to One Hope Charity, their home is located on the fourth floor of a flat that doesn't have a lift.

After the man, Chew Eng Kee, suffered a stroke and was discharged from the hospital, he was unable to walk and his teenage daughter wasn't able to carry him up to their house.

They went about their daily lives, which included eating, sleeping, taking medication and changing Chew's diapers, in the cramped space of a car.

Chew's daughter then reached out to the charity group on Sep. 28 for help after staying in the car for four days.

Second stroke

This was Chew's second time suffering a stroke.

While his movement became slower after the first stroke in 2023, he was able to go about his daily life independently.

Chew was once a private hire driver and singlehandedly raised his daughter after his divorce.

When Chew's daughter was young, there were times when she had to sit in the car with him while he drove passengers around, which sometimes led to complaints from passengers.

One Hope Charity shared that Chew's daughter found him collapsed on the floor on Sep. 18.

He was immediately sent to the hospital for treatment and was discharged on Sep. 24.

However, this time, his mobility was severely affected.

Daughter paused studies to work

According to One Hope Charity, Chew's daughter had to quit school to work to support herself and Chew after Chew's recent stroke.

Her teachers encouraged her to continue studying and tried to provide some financial assistance but it was not enough to cover their living expenses.

Their living expenses now include Chew's medical treatment and physiotherapy.

Chew's daughter became a trainee in a beauty salon as she hopes to pick up the skills to earn a living.

Fundraising efforts

One Hope Charity has since relocated Chew to a nursing home after being notified of their plight.

They also hope to raise RM180,000 (around S$56,000) for Chew and his daughter.

The charity group also updated that Chew's daughter now has a guardian to care for her.

"The funds will be mainly used for the father’s nursing home accommodation and long-term care, medical treatment and rehabilitation, physiotherapy and related treatment expenses, daily living needs, as well as appropriate assistance for his daughter based on her actual circumstances," One Hope Charity wrote.