The family of a 17-year-old student who died in a fatal chain collision in Tampines in April 2024 continues to grieve quietly as they mark occasions without her presence. The teenager, whose identity is protected under a court-imposed gag order for minors involved in the accident, was killed when the vehicle she was in collided with others on the morning of April 22, while she was en route to participate in her school’s annual cross-country event.

Her uncle, speaking on October 5 after the driver responsible was sentenced, described the profound impact of her death on the family. Muhammad Syafie Ismail, 45, was handed a 12 years and nine months prison sentence along with a lifetime driving ban for causing the collision that also resulted in the death of Norzihan Juwaibh, 57, a pest control firm technician who was a passenger in a van involved in the crash. Eight other individuals, including two 11-year-old boys, were injured.

The uncle, who was present in court alongside the teenager’s grandparents, recounted the shock and anguish experienced by the family in the immediate aftermath of the accident. Upon waking on the day of the incident, he found multiple missed calls alerting him to the accident, initially with uncertainty over the teenager’s whereabouts. Only en route to the hospital was it confirmed that she had not survived.

The girl’s father, who was driving the car, lost consciousness during the collision and only learned of his daughter's death while hospitalized. The court heard that his first question upon regaining consciousness was about her condition, and he became deeply distraught when informed of her passing. Due to his own injuries, the father was unable to look at her, managing only to hold her hand for the last time.

Since Syafie’s charge was laid three days after the crash, the family has refrained from attending court proceedings, overwhelmed by their grief. The victim’s uncle expressed the family’s ongoing pain and the difficulty in putting their loss into words, emphasizing that despite the court’s conclusion, healing remains a long process.

Speaking about the teenager’s character, he noted her dedication to both academics and those around her, portraying her as someone who balanced her busy school schedule with care for loved ones. While acknowledging the sentencing as a measure of accountability, he expressed hope that it would serve as a deterrent to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

“We’re just trying to get by,” he said, “and cannot bring ourselves to discuss what happened that day. She was the pride of our family and we miss her.”