Patrick Tan 
- Elderly man found dead in his flat, plants wilting.
- Neighbours noticed strong foul smell coming from his unit.
- Man lived alone, seldom interacted with others, and had no visitors.
Singapore’s story of an elderly man living all alone in his flat at Block 174 Toa Payoh Lorong 1.
His potted plants started wilting, everything became very bad, and things became oh so quiet, get it?
Shin Min Daily reported this tragic matter.
How the Lorong Story Unfolded: the Wilting Plants
Our friend, 77-year-old Mr. Toa Payoh, was busy watering his pretty plants outside his flat, but one day, he stopped showing up.
Then his neighbour Mdm Zhang, being the caring person in her heart, started watering his plants when she didn’t see him come out and his plants started wilting.
But who would have thought that our friend, the elderly man, had already left us, lying dead in his flat.
Foul Smell and the Ultimate Discovery
Then, the day before, her brother came to visit and noticed a foul smell coming from his unit as he walked past.
That was when she decided to call the police.
Mdm Zhang’s heart must have been shaken like a boxer doll in an old arcade game.
Man Lived Alone, Quiet Life
Other neighbours on the same floor said the deceased had lived there for about 30 years.
He used to live with an older female relative, but lived alone after she passed away many years ago.
So sad, this man living a quiet life, taking care of his plants as if they were his best buddies.
Alone, and now gone.
Actionable & Practical Takeaways
- Always show care and concern for your neighbours.
- Check in with the elderly, especially if they live alone.
- If something seems unusual or out of the ordinary, don’t hesitate to investigate or ask for help.
So what lessons can our hearts take from this story?
Amidst the busyness of life and the chase for dreams, let’s not forget the simple art of caring for one another, especially our elderly, okay?
Don’t be like a salted egg left untouched at the edge of the table, be there and make a difference in someone else’s life.
Your thoughts, guys?
How well do you know your neighbours and do you think we should do more for the elderly living alone?
Share your thoughts, come on!
