Ian Ng Hsin Ye - Losing a Friend I Knew Half My Life
22 07 2007Dengue fever should really be eradicated. I have such a hatred for that little effin’ mosquito especially since one bite snuffed out the life of a dear friend I knew since I was 13. Ian was in my same year in secondary school and we were in the same Scout group from 1994 through 2000. Subsequently, we co-founded a small business between 2003-2004.
Let this blog post, no matter how insignificant it might seem, be my little way of remembrance for a dear friend who taught me to live a life without fear of social expectations but one of following your internal passion.
Ian ditched his studies at Uni. of Washington in his sophomore freshman year to return to Singapore and startup. He was the person who inducted me into entrepreneurship when I could barely fathom what it really means other than a massive ego-trip of being your own boss. With 3 other friends, we ran a bricks-and-mortar business distributing outdoor retail goods imported from US and Europe. Ian’s passion for the outdoors was unparalleled by none other I knew. He was such an avid rock-climber despite the frailties of his physical body.
And how cruel it is to die this way. Ian survived the worst road accident, for more than a decade, in a remote part of Melbourne when a massive lumber truck crashed at full speed into their car on the highway. An accident that robbed him of another of our friends, Yaoping, weeks after we celebrated his 21st birthday and landed another friend, Kiat Han, in a coma for 3 months. Ian escaped with a spinal injury due to his being thrown out of the back seat. A fortuitous escape considering he did not wear his seat belt.
He next cheated death again when he survived a 6 metre fall during an indoor rock-climbing mishap and then one more time at the Dairy Farm natural rock climbing range in Bukit Timah - a 15-metre plunge which broke his leg after his cable snapped due to the brittle rock.
A man who could not be killed by extreme sports nor horror road accidents died due to a mosquito bite!?! Can life get more ironic that that? Whence the fairness in robbing the vigor and vitality of such a young man, i ask?
I only hope Ian’s final blow was inflicted fittingly in the outdoors. It would be due respect to him, if anything else. Despite his short life, he had left indelible impressions of his life philosophy on many of our friends. Many of us will remember how he challenged “mis-authority” with covert campaigns and audacious public acts during secondary school. As a college dropout and entrepreneur, he demonstrated a rare ability of daring to dream, venturing into the unknown as he pursued a career in the outdoor sports retail business — such an offbeat path in the concrete jungle of Singapore, albeit one he truly believed in. MORE crucially than any of the above was how his appetite for living was never diminished by all the brushes with death he had, setbacks which could only injure his physical shell but not dent the strong armor of his mind.
You taught me the courage to dream through your actions in life and I shall seek to repay you for the rest of mine.
For that, my dear friend Ian, go forth in peace. You will be sorely missed.
You’re not alone. The DHS gang of people are grieving too.
We all know and love the Ian you describe here. He was a very special friend of mine, and he can never ever be replaced.
I miss him so much already.
Jiehan
This is really sad and shocking especially for it to happen in a place like Singapore.
I’m utterly shocked and saddened by this news as I was just talking to Ian last week and in person 2 weeks ago when he came to Hong Kong. Ian was always sincere when doing business with Action Asia but incredibly enthusiastic about the outdoors. It was always such a great pleasure working with him due to his open and easy demeanor. I’ll never forget the first time Ian took me mountain biking along Woodcutters trail in the nature reserve and the huge “Ian smiley grins” that made me crack up laughing as it really took my mind off work and focused on just pure adrenalin fun riding in the outdoors which is what Ian had such a huge heart and passion for. His attitude to help change Singapore outdoors for the better will be sorely missed and will be difficult to find a role model to replace him with his way of thinking. Just last week he was telling me how he wanted to try and convince the Singapore govt to make a lot of vacant land by some old garbage dump into a place where new mountain bike trails could be built to help offer new trails for training and racing which Singapore needs. You don’t find many people like this so enthusiastic to help everyone and trying at the same time to build the outdoor community.
If I can feel this sense of loss being just lightly acquainted with him, I’m sure his closer friends and family will surely be feeling much worse. Will pray for him and may comfort be with his loved ones.
Ian, hope you are still getting an adrenalin rush where ever you are flying.
All the best buddy. Next ride tomorrow I’ll be thinking of you.
Michael Maddess
Action Asia Foundation HK
Bjorn - stay strong…
thank you all for sparing some thoughts for ian at this tragic period. i am sure he will appreciate it. lets treasure our lives and live strong.
he is very much sorely missed. i keep feeling like i’d see Ian next week. but i know that our life on earth is but a second as compared to the eternity that God has already given Ian. let’s meet him where he belongs
Hi Bjorn,
I am sorry to hear about your loss.
Hope that all are well with you and the family of your friend.
Take care & best regards.
I will always remember the outrageous things we did back in those Good Old days in Scouts. Be it the “creative” activities he organised, tekaned together, tekaned by him, many of those have to be censored here. Ian was the big brother to the patrol, and the one who worked hard and played harder.
Besides everything that has been said abt him and his passion for the outdoors so far, Ian is also possibly the most generous and helpful person I know. Never selfish, be it with his gear, time or knowledge, Ian never says NO to a call for help
3 weeks ago I lost a present from him, a Swiss knife that I have used for my outdoor persuits in the past 10 years. Little did I know that I will lose a friend as well so soon.
i know exactly how u feel. i lost a friend a few yrs ago too. *hugs*
I too understand how you feel. He was my cuz… Its true. I sometimes helped him in his office at base camp. It really hurt when he was lost. Our first reaction when he went into the hospital was. Which bone did he break now. all of us thought he was ok… :’(
Bjorn, I’m very sorry to hear the news. Another reminder to treasure our friends and that life is fragile.
I was totally shocked when I heard the news as I was in Singapore talking to Ian on the phone just may be one week before his death. We were meant to meet up for a drink too but were both busy with our own schedules.
I met Ian while I was in Singapore working for the Action Asia Challenge in September 2007 and he is definitely one of the most helpful, easy going, friendly and generous guy.
I must admit that I dont know him that well but his departure has made me realise how fragile we are.
You are right, you can cheat all kinds of accidents but you can not beat a damn mosquito!!! It makes people re-think how you should respect the nature and how powerless we are compare to it. Also, never find excuses not to see friends!!! Treasure each of them as it was “your” last day!!!
Treasure each day!!!
God bless Ian and I will miss him dearly!!!