SPORTS-MARATHON: KUALA LUMPUR – Ultramarathon pacer Evelyn Ang’s husband struggles to come to terms with her passing

 

An emotional Denis Loo (L) and race director Julie Wong, during a press conference at Evelyn’s wake at the Xiao En Centre, on March 2, 2018. — Sunpix by Ashraf Shamsul
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KUALA LUMPUR: The family of ultramarathon pacer Evelyn Ang, 45, who died on Thursday, are still struggling to come to terms with her passing.

“It is a tragedy I do not wish anyone to ever have to go through. It is very painful,” her husband, Dennis Loo said as he grieved his loss.

Despite his grief, he said that he has learnt a lot from Evelyn, who has been a positive and lively person.

“She has always been a positive person despite her own sorrows. She had never let her sorrows hold her back.

“I have been accused sometimes (where people) saying that I’m unreal. How do I hold myself up for so long. I ask myself the same. But it is because I loved her,” he told a press conference at Evelyn’s wake at the Xiao En Centre here today.

Tearing the whole time as he spoke to the press, Loo foresaw a lonely and difficult journey ahead, and he stressed he would learn to cope and look at the brighter side of life as Evelyn did throughout her life.

He expressed how lonely he felt when she breathed her last breatht in the wee hours of Thursday.

“I’m not coping well, it is a tragedy that I have yet to come to terms with. But I have been given (the opportunity) ever since Dec 10, 81 days to be with her by her bedside. I did whatever I can be by her side. We know at the end of the day, it is in sickness and in health.

“There was a moment I really thought that she would recover. But as many days passed, that hope seemed to slowly vanish,” Loo said breaking down in tears again and pausing each time as he sobbed.

Recalling the times he spent in hospital by Evelyn’s bedside, he said that he had the opportunity to meet the families of other patients, which kept him going.

“In all my moments in the hospital, I was fortunate to meet families of other patients and I realised this is my therapy to be positive. I am reminded of who Evelyn is,” Loo said.

He said they led a simple life and have always enjoyed each other’s company.

“I would live, I will learn how to cope but if you ask me, do I … I think I’m not ready to let her go, I don’t know how I am going to cope in the coming days. She is supposed to be your soulmate.

“We are supposed to grow old together, that’s what we planned … but now I do not have my wife anymore,” Loo said.

Also present at the press conference were Evelyn’s youngest brother of four siblings, Arthur Ang, 37 and friend and race director Julie Wong.

Evelyn will be laid to rest on Sunday around 10.30am after her funeral service which is scheduled to be at 9am.

She was hit from behind, along with two others by a car, while participating in the Klang City International Marathon 2017 at Batu 2, Jalan Kapar, at 4.30am.

She had undergone 11 surgeries after suffering a cranial fracture and bleeding in the brain as result of the accident.

The driver, Teoh Thiam Lim, 27, was charged with reckless and dangerous driving on Feb 20.

On Feb 26 the Attorney-General’s Chambers said that no action will be taken against the unlicensed marathon race organisers of the Klang City International Marathon.

It was reported that the reason given by the Chambers for the decision was that the probe under provisions of Section 36(1) of the Sports Development Act does not allocate penal action for an offence, as such there does not exist an offence that is chargeable in court.

Following the accident, an assistant commissioner from the Sport’s Commissioner’s Office (SCO) lodged a police report on the organisers of the Klang City International marathon.

Police investigations showed that the organiser, Earth Runners International, had neither a permit for the race nor did they apply for one with the SCO. /  Posted on 2 March 2018 – 08:20pm / Karen Arukesamy / [email protected]

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