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‘Like a knife cutting through’: Woman, 68, has spinal surgery after tree branch mishap ahead of CNY
The branch of an Angsana tree snapped and struck Mrs Chan as she was waiting across the road from Redhill Market and Food Centre on the morning of Jan 26.PHOTOS: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS, SM READER
Kolette Lim
UPDATED FEB 12, 2025, 09:50 AM
SINGAPORE - In a split second, a trip to the market for lohei ingredients to celebrate Chinese New Year turned tragic for the Chan family.
On the morning of Jan 26, the branch of an Angsana tree snapped and struck Mrs Chan, 68, as she was waiting for her husband to pick her up in their car across the road from Redhill Market and Food Centre.
The accident left the couple in sorrow through Chinese New Year – which took place on Jan 29 and 30 – and saddled with hospital bills that have totalled more than $70,000, and continue to rise.
Speaking to The Straits Times on Feb 9, Mrs Chan’s husband, who wanted to be known only by his surname, said in Mandarin that he was seconds away from reaching his wife when the mishap took place.
“She called me to pick her up, and when I turned into the road, I saw that a crowd had formed around someone lying on the ground,” he said.
“I realised that person was my wife when I saw the clothes she was wearing,” he said.
“My mind was in a frenzy. I kept shouting my wife’s name and when she opened her eyes to look at me, I could see they were blurry, and it looked as though she was going to fall asleep.”
Two women had come to his Mrs Chan’s aid. One performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the other administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. A man told Mr Chan that an ambulance was on its way.
Mrs Chan was taken to Singapore General Hospital, where she received five stitches to close a wound at the back of her head.
She also suffered fractured ribs, said Mr Chan, and had to undergo a spinal fusion surgery, where screws had to be inserted into her vertebrae.
After surgery, Mrs Chan was admitted into the intensive care unit, and moved to a high dependency ward after two days. On Feb 7, she was moved to the Outram Community Hospital, where she continues to receive rehabilitative treatment.
Mr Chan said that since the freak accident, his wife has been extremely weak, occasionally coughs up blood and has a poor appetite.
“When recovering from surgery, she said like she felt like a knife was cutting through her. It pains me to see her suffer,” he said.
“She’s terrified of coughing because it hurts her fractured ribs, but she coughs through the night. It breaks my heart.”
“The atmosphere of Chinese New Year should be lively, but after this incident our whole family is despondent.”
“The hospital bills made it a double whammy,” he added. The couple, who have two children and a grandson, runs a small cleaning business.
“I’m not sure what insurance she is covered by and if it’s enough to pay for the bills, but I’ll think about money matters later,” said Mr Chan. “What’s most important is that my wife recovers well and remains healthy.”
Mr Chan said that the weather during the incident was normal, without rain or strong winds.
“I hope more checks will be conducted on the condition of trees, especially during holiday seasons, when there are decorative lights hanging from them,” he said. “I hope that the same incident doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
In response to ST queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said it is investigating the cause of the snapped branch.
Trees are generally inspected every six to 24 months, depending on the location and age, and regularly pruned to improve their structure and balance, added NParks.
While his wife is still on the road to recovery, Mr Chan repeatedly expressed his gratitude to the passers-by and hospital staff for helping his wife.
“Those at the scene, who even performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, might just have saved her life,” he said. “I’m really very touched and want to thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
“I hope that my wife and I will peacefully and happily live the latter years of our life.”
- Kolette Lim is a journalist at The Straits Times, covering breaking news and trending topics.
