GEORGE TOWN: Come rain or shine, Loo Khai Oon has only one thing on his mind – visiting his wife’s grave.
The 62-year-old retired tower crane operator has made the visit his daily routine for the last seven years since her death.
Every day, without fail, Loo starts his day by visiting his wife Lim Oon Bin’s grave.
“For the past seven years, I have been coming here to see my wife at around 7am every day.
“Before coming, I will pack her favourite black coffee and some food. I will usually spend around two hours here.
“If it rains in the morning, I will wait and come here immediately after the rain stops.
“Before I leave, I will always kiss her photo at the tomb.
“I have not missed a single day,” he said when met at the United Hokkien Cemeteries in Paya Terubong yesterday.
Loo said he would sometimes jog to the cemetery from his house in Batu Lanchang in the evenings when the weather is not too hot.
“The journey to and fro is about 15km,” he said.
Reminiscing fondly about his late wife, Loo said he got to know Lim through his father-in-law.
“He was my friend and I used to spend a lot of time at their house. It was my mother-in-law who made the match for us.
“We were both each other’s first loves. I got to know her when I was 22 years old and she was 18 then,” he added.
Loo said he and Lim got married after dating for six years.
“My wife was a very kind, simple and selfless person. We never quarrelled as she was a gentle person, and we communicated well.
“I am thankful to have had her through thick and thin, and the ups and downs of life. She was my pillar of support and she understood me inside out,” he said.
Loo said there is never a moment when he does not miss his wife.
“She was a responsible and loving mother to our five children.
“She took care of our children well and they are all disciplined and independent kids,” he said of their children who are now between 20 and 32 years old.
He said as a primary school assistant headmaster, Lim had educated many pupils and always helped those who were in need.
Loo said he would bring along three things when he visits his wife’s grave: a pair of scissors to cut the grass, a portable speaker to play Buddhist chants and prayers, as well as some paper paraphernalia to offer to his wife.
“Also, not to forget her favourite coffee, which I offer to her.
“I will also wipe her tomb frequently.
“It has been a habit for me and I will feel uneasy if I do not come and see her every day,” he added.
To keep Lim “near” him, Loo had his wife’s face tattooed on his chest.
“I am sad and devastated that she is not here with me any more.
“I am very lonely at times and decided to get the tattoo done about three years ago. I want her to be with me everywhere I go.
“The tattoo artist took around a day to complete it and the process was painful,” he said while sobbing.
Loo added that Christmas is a bittersweet day for him.
“I married my wife on Dec 25, 1988, and her funeral was on the same day in 2015.
“Christmas Day is indeed a joyful, as well as a sorrowful day for me,” he added.
Loo said he will continue to visit Lim’s grave every day until he is unable to do so.
“She was only 52 years old when she passed away from leukaemia. I spent every night in the hospital with her when she was receiving treatment.
“It felt surreal as she died two months after she was diagnosed.
“Everything happened too quickly and I was caught off guard.
“Having spent almost 34 years together, I was not prepared at all for her death.
“The morning before she passed away, she seemed normal, but her condition suddenly deteriorated.
“Thankfully, she did not suffer much,” he said, adding that he still dreams of Lim every now and then.
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