Mum of late NSF: He always did his best
Family of national serviceman who died after heatstroke said he enjoyed his training as a guardsman
He was a respectful boy who always tried his best to complete every task given to him, including those in the army.
And he always had "hugs and kisses" for his loved ones whenever he left for and returned from national service.
These are the fond memories of the family of full-time national serviceman Dave Lee Han Xuan, who died on Monday after being hospitalised for heatstroke.
"He will try his best, as you all can see, to achieve whatever task is given to him," his mother, spa manager Jasmine Yeo, told reporters at his wake at Ivory Heights condominium in Jurong East yesterday.
She added that her only son, 19, had enjoyed his training as a guardsman in the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards, and had made many good friends in national service. The family was also happy with his enlistment.
Madam Yeo, who declined to give her age, and her daughter Lee Han You, 23, an undergraduate at the Singapore Institute of Technology, took questions from the media for about 15 minutes.
Her husband, property agent Dennis Lee, was also present.
Servicemen were seen arriving at the wake in a bus to pay their respects.
Madam Yeo said the most memorable moment for the family were the "hugs and kisses that we always have whenever he comes back and whenever he books in".
"To a mother, it's the way we held hands together when we go shopping, something that we will never forget," she added.
Her son has been promoted posthumously from the rank of Private to Corporal First Class. His military funeral will take place on Saturday.
An independent committee has been formed to look into the circumstances that led to Corporal Lee's death, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said yesterday. (See report on right.)
Asked about a Facebook post by a user claiming to be from Corporal Lee's battalion that raised questions about safety measures during and after the march that led to his collapse, Madam Yeo said the family had read it.
She declined to comment further, saying: "My first priority is to settle my son. They are already conducting investigations."
She also declined to comment when asked whether the family had spoken to soldiers from Corporal Lee's unit.
Madam Yeo also said her son had received two offers - from National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University - to further his studies after NS.
Corporal Lee, from Jurong Junior College and Yuhua Secondary School, enlisted on Jan 5 and completed his Basic Military Training on March 11.
He died around 5.30pm on Monday after being in intensive care at Changi General Hospital since April 18. He fell into a coma after having heatstroke from an 8km fast march that day.
The family also decided last Friday to donate Corporal Lee's organs as they wanted him "to contribute his best at his last moments", but only his corneas could be donated.
"We really wish that the person who has received it will continue to see the world with Dave," Madam Yeo said.
She also said the family has received support from Mindef and had taken up its suggestion of a military funeral for her son.
Asked whether the support has been enough, Madam Yeo said: "I can't answer your question. What is enough when the boy is not making his way home?"
Committee of Inquiry formed for NSF who died after heatstroke
A Committee of Inquiry (COI) has been convened to investigate the circumstances leading to Corporal Dave Lee Han Xuan's death on Monday.
The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a statement yesterday that the committee will be chaired by a cluster superintendent from the Ministry of Education, with a medical specialist from the public healthcare sector as one of its members.
It added that the death will be independently investigated by the police. Based on the outcome of investigations, a coroner's inquiry may be held.
In every case involving the death of a national serviceman, the Armed Forces Council will convene a COI.
The COI has full powers and access to information and personnel to investigate the circumstances leading to the death, determine contributory factors and make recommendations to rectify any lapses uncovered.
Previous COIs took a few months to complete and the findings were usually not made public.
Mindef said a Singapore Armed Forces Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to support Corporal Lee's family.
Training resumed yesterday after the army declared a safety timeout on Monday. - LIM MIN ZHANG
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