Now. Rest well, my friend.

9th August 2011, QUT Brisbane, Australia

New web. New post. New beginning. Maybe it's a tribute to you, or just my way of remembering you. But I feel I had to do something, because I'm afraid. Afraid that I will forget what happened, and that I will forget you. 

Hence, leftablog.blogspot.com. In remembrance of you, my friend, my housemate. Richie(middle). And yes, that's a Singapore flag tattoo on his face.

Although it has been only 4 weeks that we have been staying together, I can safely say, you are not who people say you are. You are not the most popular of people in UQ and I have heard some nasty stuff about you which made me skeptical of staying with you. But just these 4 weeks living together, there's no truth in those words at all. Probably just the way you do and say things. Being candid and getting your point across. But you CAN get things done. That's your strength.

You are a person with goals in life. Flipping through your notebook, I find weekly to-dos being striked out, your short-term goals, long-term goals, even what you seek to achieve everyday.

Doing a kind act everyday. 

Take over family business by 2015.  

Let parents retire by 2015.   

Be Faithful.   

Shows how much I knew about you. I never knew you were so focused in life, target-oriented. I was almost certain you will be a great housemate. I mean, who the hell drives to Melbourne from Brisbane, and back?! Respect. It would have been so much fun going on a road trip with you. Up to Cairns, to the Great Barrier Reef. Picking up biking with you. There's so much I have still yet to know about you!

We were happily making our way there. Enjoying our 6-hour drive. You were enjoying yourself so much, you said you could drive all the way! So that when we came back, we are going to travel inland, and I was going to do the driving so that you could enjoy the scenery. I was so certain it was going to be a great weekend.

What happened man? I still ask myself this question umpteen times, every single day. What caused you to lose consciousness? Why did you lose the regulator? Why was your mask off? What happened? It was just a short few minutes. But everything happened so quickly. If only I looked back several more times to see everyone was there. If only I hit you harder to wake you up. If only I persevered long enough while performing CPR. If only I shouted louder at you to come back to us. If only we did not go for this trip...

Sometimes I think I was the one who got into the accident, and that I am just living in another parallel universe now. It's just surreal. Even when we came back, at your funeral, while I looked at you lying there, I thought I saw you breathing. It's just so difficult to accept that you are gone. I really cannot face your parents, family members, relatives, friends and Bella. Especially when you are being pushed into the incinerator, I really can't fight back my tears. My heart ached so badly, because I know, somehow or rather, I am related to your death. There was always something I could have done to prevent this. Hearing them shouting out for you, made my heart bleed. I could not even lift up my head to look at any of them. I'm weak, I know. I'm sorry, Richie.

I kept thinking as well, what was on your mind during the last few moments? You must have felt so helpless. Really can't imagine. I hope you left us peacefully. Another quote, from the first page of your notebook. 

"I am more than I appear to be, the World's strength & power rests inside me." 

You must have taken this quote from somewhere else, but I believe it definitely applies on you. 


I miss you man. I'll never forget the smile on your face. The laughs we shared although it was minimal. I regret not having a proper photo of just the two of us. Hope you will bless your loved ones and keep them safe. 

Rest in peace, Richie. Hope you are in a better world now.

Scott.