Such a 'can-do' spirit!

This is a story of Singaporean true grit.

It appeared in today's ST's prime news, page A8 -- which meant a reader had to read stuff on seven earlier pages. I thought it would have been better to use it as the first page of the Home section pullout.

The story by reporter Mavis Toh, part of the package "One year after Kallang slashings..." and headlined "The doctor said I'd never do push-ups. I proved her wrong", picks up a year after 20-year-old full-time NSman Ang Jun Heng was set upon one night by a gang of eight robbers along a dark footpath (three other men were separately attacked, one of whom died).

In the savage and senseless attack on 29 May last year, Mr Ang -- a trainee in the elite Naval Diving Unit (NDU) and a former captain of Raffles Institution's canoe team -- was hacked in many places and had half his left palm cut off. Some slashes missed his spinal cord by a mere 0.1cm.

He lay bleeding for seven hours before help arrived. A 27-hour operation reattached his palm but two fingers had to be amputated later when gangrene set in.

Downgraded to a clerk (I presume at the NDU) after the attack, Mr Ang could have accepted his seeming fate of not resuming his athletic life. But he fought to complete the basic diving course -- going through all but the rope climbing component (the gruelling course comprises diving, swimming, running and circuit training).

"I was also exempted from push-ups but I thought why not try, and when I could do it, I was so happy," he said. The effort was important to him because a doctor had told him he would never be able to do push-ups again. "I also thought 'Doctor, I proved you wrong'. "

He is still well-built, exercises regularly, rows with some ex-canoeing mates, and can do chin-ups using a special hook. He is now considering a transplant to make his left hand more functional. The procedure will remove two toes from his left foot and attach them to his left palm.

The operation would help him to type with both hands on a keyboard, get a driver's licence, and give him a shot at achieving his childhood dream of becoming a pilot. The straight A student will head for an overseas university after he completes his NS next February. I am sure this young man will achieve all that he sets himself to do!