We had one week of Nick Vujicic, the inspirational speaker that won the hearts of many Singaporeans and all those that had the privilege of listening to this very unusual man. He is a very pleasant looking guy other than his congenital handicap of being born without limbs except for a flipper like left ‘leg’ that is all less than 30cm long. Seeing him on stage and waddling across a table top like a penguin is scary and intimidating. But when Nick spoke, his sprightly spirit won over everyone present that living is not just about a physical body but all about the mind and spirit. He is ever an optimist, and nothing can make his day a bad day. He is married with a charming wife, heard he also has a son and has done many things in life that a normal person can only dream of doing.
Nick Vujicic has a double or twin living among us in Jason Chee. Jason, a young and healthy military expert in the Navy has a future waiting for him like any able bodied young man. He went to hell when he was caught in a winch for several hours with his body stuck and crushed by that awesome machine. He was as good as dead. By the time they extricated his body he has lost both legs, his left arm, and a right arm with only two fingers. What a cruel fate that was handed to this young man.
Never would anyone believe that he could smile again. He refused to give up and never was he down in spirit in a single day, or at least he put on a very brave front in the public eyes. He is still alive and living well, and his chubby and ever smiling radiant face greeted everyone that met him. Looking at the picture of him and Nick Vujicic in the papers would lead everyone to believe that nothing is amiss.
In Jason’s case, it is heartening to know that the Navy or Mindef did not leave him behind like a piece of broken furniture. Mindef is giving him every support and assistance he needed, fitting him with whatever that is available, motorised wheel chair and all the physiotherapy and psychological care to help him to start a new life. Nick Vujicic is a timely living role model for people like Jason.
The latest, the Navy is not abandoning him in the scrapyard. They are keeping him and offering him a desk bound job in the Navy. They surely take care of their own kind and that is something to be proud of. Wish the govt could take care of able and healthy Singaporeans the way the Navy takes care of Jason Chee. Then we would not have so many grouses, so many jobless PMETs and so many cries of being betrayed.
Jason Chee will stand up again one day when he is fitted with prosthetic limbs.
Chua Chin Leng aka redbean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com.