SINGAPORE — Ten years ago, Mr Wong Zi Heng fractured his neck and damaged his spinal cord after a diving mishap.

Mr Wong, then aged 21, had just finished his first year of studies at the National University of Singapore and was facilitating orientation activities at Sentosa for incoming freshmen. 

The orthopaedic surgeon he saw said he might walk again after one or two years of rehabilitation. 

However, a few months into rehabilitation, Mr Wong noticed that his recovery started to stagnate — he was able to move his arms, but not much else. 

Then came the heartbreak: His therapists told him that he would be paralysed chest down for the rest of his life. 

With the hope of full recovery crumbling, the former swimmer had to accept that he would never be as physically active as before.

But looking back, Mr Wong said that the initial hope of full recovery was a blessing.

“If (the doctor) had told me straight away that I am going to be paralysed for life, I think it might have been harder to swallow,” he said.

After a year of rehabilitation, he successfully finished his university studies in physics, after which he received training at the National Institute of Education to become a teacher. 

He now teaches physics and mathematics at Bedok South Secondary School, his body bound to a wheelchair but his mind reaching students of all passions and interests. 

THE REALIST APPROACH TO HARDSHIPS

Asked about whether he felt resentful after the injury, he answered: “Surprisingly, not really.” 

When it comes to hardships, Mr Wong is a down-to-earth realist. Asked about how he faces up to challenges, he said he distinguishes between what he can and cannot control. He then tries to focus on the things that he can control. 

“I can’t change what has happened. So instead of being upset over what happened, why not spend the time and energy on things that I can still change?” he said. 

Although he can no longer swim laps, he can still watch movies and hang out with his friends, activities he has always enjoyed.

Mr Wong believes that being disabled has made him a more compassionate person and teacher. 

“No one can fully understand the pain that I feel and the challenges that I have. This also means that we cannot fully understand what other people feel and the challenges they go through,” he said. 

Hence, for Mr Wong, compassion comes from recognising one's limitations in understanding others' feelings.

With this mindset, he found himself being more understanding and patient towards those around him. 

Being compassionate also helps him to be a better teacher. When his students show up in class with their work undone or when they doze off during lessons, he tries to give them the benefit of doubt. 

Moments before the interview with TODAY, Mr Wong was sitting near a bench in the school foyer. A student walked in, visibly nervous.

The shaggy-haired student was strolling into school at 8.40am, more than one hour late.

Instead of reprimanding the student for being late, Mr Wong said, “What can I do for you?”, asking him if he needs help. 

Trying to understand others also helps Mr Wong overcome the challenges that he faces. 

In moments of frustration, he has a mental trick to help himself look beyond the hardships at hand: He looks around and tries to think about the challenges that others might be facing. 

This allows him to take a step back from the struggles dominating his consciousness, making them appear less overwhelming. 

WHAT GIVES LIFE MEANING

It is compassion that Mr Wong’s philosophy of life stems from: What can he do for others around him?

He believes that "what we do for others brings meaning to our lives". 

It was before his injury that he had questioned the significance of his existence.

“If I wasn’t around, someone else could take my place… so what’s the value and worth of my life?”, he recalled asking himself. 

“The value of my life is not what I’ve done for myself, it’s not the more knowledge I gain, it’s not more money I earn, or the status or fame that I’ve achieved. When I leave this world, all those things become meaningless. 

“I started to see the value of my life in terms of the value that I created in the lives of people around me because these values continue beyond my own life.”

Mr Wong serves as a member of the service committee for SPD, a charity for the disabled. 

Besides what he does for others, the help that he receives also gives meaning to life.  

Being disabled means having to constantly ask for and receive help from those around him. Mr Wong feels that this gives him the motivation to persevere. 

“The best way that I can repay this debt of gratitude to them is to give my best in everything I do,” he said. 

As he marks the 10th anniversary of his life-changing accident, Mr Wong's positive influence continues to touch the lives of his students and the community.

“I’m glad that in the line of teaching I’m constantly interacting with students and time is spent with people,” he said. 

For his achievements and service to the community, Mr Wong was awarded the Goh Chok Tong Enable Award in 2022, an annual award given out by the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund (GCTEF). 

GCTEF is a community fund that aims to provide persons with disabilities the opportunities to actively contribute to society and lead socially integrated lives. The Fund is administered by SG Enable and supported by Mediacorp. Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong is the Patron of the GCTEF. To support persons with disabilities through the GCTEF, please visit GCTenablefund.sg.