How’s this for a tale of good neighbourliness.
Despite not having any blood ties, this elderly couple have caring for their neighbours for the past 10 years now, to the point of bringing them meals every day.
98-year-old Jackie Ang and his 87-year-old wife Margaret have been married for 63 years now and are childless.
They moved into a 3-room HDB flat at Marine Terrace 20 years ago, and got to know their neighbours, a 72-year-old retired fisherman Mr Shen and his 68-year-old wife.
Getting on in age, the Angs were finding it difficult to move about since around 10 years ago.
That’s when their neighbours, the Shens, stepped in.
The Shens would bring dinner over every night for the couple.
Sometimes they would have meals together.
The Shens also made it a point to help Margaret apply eye-drops 3 times a day after she had to undergo an eye operation.
Such is the trust between the 2 families that the Shens have a key to the Ang’s flat, so that it’s easier for them to go inside when necessary.
Said Margaret:
“I walk very slowly. I don’t want him (Mr Shen) to wait at the door for me.”
When asked if it was inconvenient to care for the elderly Angs, Mrs Shen said:
“No lah, next-door only. Their age added together is almost 200 years old, so they’re old enough to be my parents.”
Mr Shen said he’s more worried that the elderly couple move out:
“Uncle (Mr Ang) has asthma and can faint. If they move, who is going to take care of them?”
The Shens are now a cornerstone of a grassroots initiative, the Neighbours for Active Living programme, which was launched in 2013.
Wah lau, how often is it that someone gets to run into such good neighbours as this uncle and aunty?
Give them a Tiger each lah!
