Mediacorp artiste Dennis Chew shared on Instagram on Wednesday (Feb 12) that his father died that morning, just one day after Chew celebrated the completion of his polytechnic studies.
“Dad passed away peacefully this morning around 11,” the Love 972 DJ said in the post.
Chew added that his father “left so quietly” and that he “always made sure no one had to worry”.
Mourning his late father, the radio DJ wrote: “You always thought of others first and yourself last. You always had compassion for stray animals – our home nearly became a zoo. You always gave your money to friends, even if it meant going hungry that month.”
Chew shared that his father’s caregiver told him that the moment his father died, a small butterfly flew out of the room. “Now I understand: When a good person leaves this world, they first transform into a butterfly. And in heaven, God grants them even bigger wings to become an angel.”
He added: “Just yesterday afternoon, I told you that I had completed my studies, and this morning, you left.”
On Tuesday, the 51-year-old actor-host-DJ shared on Instagram that he had completed his three-year course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Chew was pursuing a diploma in Chinese media and communication.
“I know you must feel proud of me. Thank you, Dad,” he said in his post on Wednesday.
Chew also thanked his father for giving him an optimistic personality, a one-of-a-kind sense of humour, for teaching him how to live with sincerity and for accepting him for who he truly was.
“Dad, thank you for bringing me into this beautiful world. Rest assured, I’ll take good care of myself. I love you. I love you so much.”
Chew’s celebrity friends, like artistes Jeremy Chan, Quan Yifong and Yvonne Lim, offered their condolences in comments on his post.
