Reports people: 60-year-old Song Yong Kiong with his family display regarding how they drawn through a tragic collision that changed Song’s life, and more about a unique small “Bumblebee”.

Those staying in the Yew Tee and Chua Chu Kang markets can be knowledgeable about a particular face-on the streets that has been available for the past 20 years.

Ice-cream uncle track Yong Kiong, that is better known as Uncle track to people which buy his frozen snacks, might a familiar face inside the area.

Photo from Song Keyi

Like most some other ice-cream uncle muddy matches in Singapore, the 60-year-old plies their trade with a steel cart filled up with the treat, alongside add-ons instance wafers and breads.

Why is tune get noticed however, is his distinctive vehicle. Unlike different ice-cream uncles whose carts are usually connected to a motorcycle, track’s car looks like a motorcycle on steroid drugs.

That’s because this has been changed to support their wheelchair — Song is a paraplegic, which means he’s paralysed from waistline all the way down.

Considering his age — the crow’s feet and make fun of outlines on his face become strong, in addition to white inside the locks stark, manning an ice cream truck actually the easiest of tasks, specially having its experience of bad weather.

But precisely why have tune, notwithstanding his condition, persevered the 21 age he is been in this trade?

The accident in 1993

Receive some answers, we met tune at their flat in Chua Chu Kang where we stumbled on your and his awesome group having dinner.

The awkward invasion proved to be a boon however, as Song’s partner and girl could offer much understanding of their lifetime, probably more than the guy themselves could.

At the start of the meeting, tune jokes in regards to why we would want to interview a “monster” like him. There, but seem to be a tinge of melancholy that underlies their jest.

Tune’s tale starts off with a distressing and unfortunate crash back 1993 as he was being employed as a mechanic.

In a matter-of-fact and somewhat brusque fashion, track recounts in Mandarin just how he had been sleeping beneath a car to fix they if the assists holding the auto up provided ways.

Over 1,000kg of metal arrived on the decreased half of his human anatomy.

After he was rushed into medical center, the guy recalls getting surrounded by many doctors, and with no feeling within his thighs, was wheeled inside operating theater.

It absolutely was merely following the procedures did medical doctors supply the heartbreaking news — that Song would no further have the ability to go.

“I was devastated. surprised. My personal notice had been blank. I simply seated here, everything had been empty.”

“I didn’t pity me,” track said, but seeing their partner bring their three younger girl for check outs during the medical, he had been over come with a feeling of abject desolation and fret over how he would provide for his parents.

“i believe to myself personally, my young children just how? They may be so younger.”

Pic by Valerie Ng

Stayed in denial for years

Although track was actually discharged from the medical after 3 months, for years after, he proceeded to fervently refute his loss of transportation.

Keeping the wish he would remain able to go again, the guy visited Malaysia, their residence country, in search for an alternative treat.

Their quest was futile though — scouring different centers, hospitals and vintage Chinese Medicine experts nationwide, he had been satisfied with the same verdict health practitioners first offered him following the crash.

Tune later met a pal whom put him to their church in Singapore.

Describing himself as somebody who failed to contribute to anybody faith at that time — “Any god I also hope” — tune just marked along for chapel providers and cellular teams, because the pastor would provide to pick track up from their house, for the next 2 to 3 decades.

Photo thanks to tune and parents

Church users later helped boost adequate revenue to have tune a car so he could go to church themselves, and after some topic, the guy realized it might be an effective way to generate income aswell.