‘How could I tell him that his mum was gone?’

School in mourning: Headmasters Association of Malaysia representatives paying their respects during the wake for Liu.

KUALA LUMPUR: David Ling Mun Siong not only lost his wife to the Batang Kali landslide, but his son’s spine was also fractured.

David could not bear to immediately bring the sad news of his mother’s death to Zi Xuang, 19.

Only later, after Zi Xuang began to recover from his injuries at Hospital Kuala Lumpur where he is being warded, did he tell him.

“I told my son’s doctor that I was going to break the news of his mother’s passing to him (yesterday) and asked for psychological support staff to be on standby,” he said when met at the Nirvana funeral parlour here yesterday.

David said his son cried a lot and kept asking about his mother’s whereabouts while in hospital.

“I told him that the rescuers were still trying to look for her,” he added.

David said it was only after he made sure Zi Xuang was emotionally okay and had accepted the reality that he decided to bring him to his mother’s wake yesterday.

His wife Liu Pei Si, who was a teacher at SJK(C) Mun Choong, is expected to be buried today.

David said that during the incident, Zi Xuang was found buried up to his chest in earth and mud.

“He said he tried to dig himself out but fainted because it was too tiring.

“When he was finally rescued, he told the firemen that his mother and teacher were nearby.

“My wife and I were discussing Zi Xuang’s university studies before this.

“Now I will have to make his study plans on my own,” he added.

Meanwhile, pupils Lim Xiao Hui and Chow Mun Jun, both 10, were brought by their parents to pay their respects to Liu, who was their class teacher.

“Teacher Liu always prepared extra food for my daughter when she cooked,” said Xiao Hui ’s mother Clover Chan, 34.

Mun Jun said he would miss Liu’s storytelling in class.

“I understand Teacher Liu has ‘left’, and I will miss her,” the boy said.