Wednesday, June 6, 2007

About Peng



in memoriam: Peng


Two weeks ago, a friend was found dead in her apartment. She was bound and gagged in what the police determined as a robbery, and she asphyxiated on her gag.

I can't say I knew Peng very well, but I knew her enough to feel the grief of her sudden and violent passing. We worked in many projects together in my church's drama production group. She did make-up, while I designed costumes and sets. She knew her stuff, having worked on some real professional productions before. I stuck around the backstage a lot, learning stuff from her - and she would always share.

Peng was a livewire. She was always loud and larger-than-life. And, as many of her friends would attest, she had a heart of gold.

I can't begin to imagine what her last moments would have been like, yet I can't stop thinking about it. Even now. Perhaps because of way she was taken. And perhaps, because you never expect these things to happen to people you know.

I was away in Miri for work when they held her wake. I regret deeply that I was not able to say one last goodbye. But perhaps it was better this way. I would not have been able to handle it very well.

Goodbye Peng. See you again someday on the other side.

Peng's Memorial

19 comments:

  1. my condolences. She looked like a real fun person...

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  2. Sad to hear that :(
    A close friend's friend's friend was murdered and her body dumped inside a bag and thrown into the Thames just a couple of months ago, and my friend's life has changed as a result..

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  3. I'm sorry to hear this James. My condolences and deepest sympathy to her family.
    Looks like it's no longer safe anymore even in our own humble abode.

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  4. My condolences..
    It is not fair, is it?

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  5. I can't imagine how it must feel like to have someone you love leave in such a horrible way... My heartfelt condolences...

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  6. gosh.... so sorry to hear this.
    deepest condolences.

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  7. Oh dear...I guess I know how you felt. Last year, I recieved news that my opposite neighbour drowned during a diving trip. Even though we were not close, I felt the loss and grief, with the family members.

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  8. sorry to hear about your friend, peng, james. my condolence to her family.
    it's so distressing for these past 8 days or so i came across so many death. first loga of alleycats, then chiq, then when i went to simontalk blog, found out his brother passed away, then yesterday in peter tan's blog found out his friend passed away, and now today come in your blog, suddenly read of your friend's passing.
    so sad. such depressing week.

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  9. My condolences to her friends and family.
    I think the best thing to do is to make this known to the MP of her area and demand for corrective actions. There have been too many 'misfortunes' lately.

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  10. When someone dies, they leave a vaccum in the space where they once were in our lives.
    The pain of losing a friend is deep, and worsens when guilt comes into the picture - guilt of not being able to prevent it from happening, guilt of thinking that you could have done something...anything...to stop it but couldn't.
    As the "what ifs, should haves, could haves" continue to play in our minds, the hard fact remains - that person has left us so unexpectedly.
    And that makes us realise all the more that we are not God, as well as the true fraility of life - we bounce about our daily lives on the assumption that we will live to a ripe age of 80, 90, 100? Assuming that we are invincible and that bad things will never ever happen to us or those around us.
    We can choose to be angry at the world or even God over why it happened but the truth is, anyone could be hit by a motor vehicle, murdered, killed in a freak accident etc at any one time.
    But one thing is certain.
    After the grief is gone, there is always the joy of rememberance that God brought that person into our lives and made it wonderful with his/her presence.
    Even if he/she merely smiled at us.
    Even for that brief moment.

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  11. =(
    My condolences to her friends and family.
    sudden =/

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  12. my condolenses. ppl can be so cruel

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  13. Thanks for your condolences, folks. Much appreciated.

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  14. omigosh... no, i really do not expect anyone i know to 'go' in such a way. nor anyone i don't know.
    may she be in a better place.

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  15. she is my junior in cbn and was a dear friend who engaged her cell group to pray for us when our marriage went through a rough patch and was so happy to report to her cell leader it was not in vain months(or years?) later. this is so cruel and sad. thks for the link

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  16. I'm sorry to hear this. May her soul rest in peace. She may become a wonder ghost and haunt that a**hole. Who know.

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