Bryan Wong Says His Dad Asked Him To Take Care Of His Mum & Sis Before He Died From A Heart Attack 24 Years Ago
When Bryan Wong's father passed away 24 years ago, he asked the host to promise to take good care of his mother and sister.
Bryan, who was the guest on the latest episode of Mediacorp talk show Hear U Out, was 26 then and his career wasn't going as well as he had hoped. At that time, he had just been voted Most-Hated Compere because, according to him, audiences disliked his no-holds-barred hosting style.
He entertained thoughts of quitting showbiz, but was told to take some time to reconsider his decision.
While all that was happening, his father had a sudden heart attack. Bryan told Hear U Out host Quan Yifeng: “When he was in the hospital, [my father] said, ‘Jiang, dad can’t hold on much longer. You have to look after your mum and older sister.’ Suddenly, the machine started beeping again and the doctor told me to leave the room. That was the last time I saw him.”
Bryan continued: “From that moment, I had no right to want to resign from my job (…) I just had to grit my teeth and deal with it. I didn’t know what else I could do at the time apart from that. I gave him my promise and from that moment, keeping it has been the biggest and only goal in my life.”
Travelling the world with his mum & sister
Bryan also recalled his late dad paying him a 'visit'.
“On the seventh day after my father passed away, we laid out food on the table for him. We were all in our own rooms but I couldn’t sleep. It was almost 1am when I suddenly heard the sound of drawers opening," he said. “I was [shocked] and as I was about to get up, I heard my father's voice beside me saying, ‘Jiang, don’t go to the kitchen. Once you do, I’ll have to leave."
An emotional Bryan couldn't believe what he heard. "Tears kept rolling down my face as I listened to [cutlery being used] for about 10 minutes," he said. "While lying in bed, I kept calling out for my dad while crying. I knew that it wasn’t a dream because my pillow was soaked with tears and I kept telling myself to go to bed and not head to the kitchen. I cried myself to sleep. I’m sure I wasn’t sleeping or dreaming and that I heard his voice right next to my ear.”
“He left us when I was 26, but I’ve never felt alone because I’ve felt his presence on multiple occasions to let me know that he’s here for me," added Bryan.
Bryan and his dad
Bryan strongly believes that his dad 'listens' to the stuff Bryan says to him every morning when he offers joss sticks at the altar.
“As I’m getting older, I think about how we have our physical bodies and consciousness, but what happens when our bodies no longer function? Where does our consciousness go? It’s a type of energy, so I believe that it [goes into] another space. That’s why I speak to him in front of his tablet, and he would appear if he hears me.”
We're sure Bryan's dad is very proud of him
One such instance happened this year when Bryan was on the way to the airport to attend the Star Awards.
When Bryan, who would go on to win Best Supporting Actor that night, saw a car with a number plate that contained four digits of his father’s NRIC, he immediately said, “Dad, you’re here.”
“I realise this always happens when I have to make a decision, or if I’m feeling sad or happy. Numbers that are related to him will appear in front of me,” he said.
