Man, 93, in vegetative state for 1.5 years after getting hit by car in Yishun, dies

[Nanodick]

Man, 93, in vegetative state for 1.5 years after getting hit by car in Yishun, dies​

The driver reportedly got out of his car right after the collision and called the ambulance.

Xueting Wu

August 05, 2025, 07:10 PM​

A 93-year-old man passed away in June after spending the past one-and-a-half years in a vegetative state following an accident on Jan. 19, 2024 when he was hit by a car.

On Aug. 4, the car driver who ran a red light and struck the elderly man, was sentenced to six months' jail, with his driver's licence suspended for five years.

What happened​

According to court documents, Tan Mieang Hoon, then 91, had been riding a personal mobility device (PMD) that fateful day at a junction in Yishun.

Leck Hang Wei, then 56, was driving along Yishun Ring Road and made a left turn to Yishun Avenue 5 when the traffic light turn signal was showing red.

He subsequently collided into Tan, who was crossing the road on his PMD.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that Leck had initially waited for pedestrians to cross the road, but did not notice Tan's PMD behind the pedestrians before turning.

When Tan fell off his PMD, Leck immediately got out of his car to help him and called for the ambulance.

In March 2025, Leck was charged with committing two offences under the Road Traffic Act: For driving without due care and causing grievous hurt to another person; and for failing to obey the traffic sign.

Tan's injuries​

As a result of the accident, Tan had permanent brain damage and was hospitalised for 27 days, Zaobao reported.

Tan's daughter told Shin Min Daily News on Aug. 5 that after the accident, Tan had emergency surgery for hydrocephalus — a condition in which there is an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid deep within the brain.

Although he regained consciousness and movement for a while following the surgery, his condition worsened rapidly a month later, and went into a vegetative state from then on.

Family took him home​

His family decided to take him home, where a professional caregiver and his children took turns to care and watch over him at all hours of the day.

Despite the family's hopes that he would recover, Tan passed away in June 2025, his daughter said.

The court heard on Aug. 4 about Tan's vegetative and bedridden condition.

Leck pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, saying that he had done the best he could to help Tan after the accident, and asked the judge for a more lenient sentence.

A kind and healthy man​

According to Tan's daughter, who lived in a unit above Tan, her father had been in good health prior to the accident.

He had been the main caregiver of his wife, who had been diagnosed with dementia six years ago.

Every day, Tan would go out to get groceries and cook meals for the two of them.

The day of the accident, he had been going about his usual routine — riding his PMD to the nearby market to get groceries.

Tan also volunteered in charity work, his daughter told Shin Min.

He would ride his PMD with his daughter to collect and distribute food to people in need.

Tan's son added that everyone in the neighbourhood liked Tan, who would often help his neighbours fix their furniture and electronic appliances for free.

"It is still difficult for us to accept how such misfortune would suddenly befall a healthy person and turn him into a vegetable," Tan's daughter told Shin Min.

Top images from Shin Min