A 59-year-old security guard died from colorectal cancer, leaving behind eight children, the oldest being 15 and the youngest hardly six months old, and apparently not much means for his wife to raise them all, reported the Shin Min Daily News.
The wife of Shi Jinjian, however, conveyed her reluctance to seek help from the public when she spoke to the Chinese evening daily on Wednesday night at the wake of her husband at the void deck of Block 417 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.
“I will take life one step at a time from here,” said the woman, a 35-year-old Singaporean, still overwhelmed by the death of Mr Shi, who died early this week.
However, a young woman who came to know about the plight of the family through a friend has launched a donation drive for them by posting an appeal on Facebook. It was accompanied by pictures showing the children praying at the wake.
“The wife is the sort who thinks it improper to impose one’s troubles on others.
“Besides, she wants to protect the dignity of the kids,” the woman, who does not want to be identified, told My Paper yesterday on the phone.
“But we knew that she desperately needs help, given that there are so many children to look after,” said the woman, adding that the wife apparently has not been working.
According to the woman, her post was shared more than 1,400 times in hours.
A friend of hers had personally gone to the wake to give a contribution of more than $1,000.
She acknowledged that the Facebook campaign has limited reach and piecemeal donations are only of short-term help.
“Friends are coming up with better ideas and suggestions, such as approaching certain welfare groups,” she said.
Six of the eight children are under 10, with the two eldest being daughters now attending secondary school.
“Previously, they placed the kids aged 2 to 5 with the childcare centre,” a neighbour told Shin Min.
Said a female neighbour surnamed Wang: “Knowing that their life is difficult, I have earlier given their eldest kids school textbooks no longer needed by my children.”
The neighbours all took pity on the wife, saying it would be tough to raise eight children all by herself, reported Shin Min.
myp@sph.com.sg
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