Bound by Love: The Other Legacy of Lee Kuan Yew

Love is beautiful.

The story of Lee Kuan Yew’s transformation of Singapore from a very poor country into a first one of the most developed countries is widely known. However, there is one important story that is not known.

Lee Kuan Yew met his wife, Kwa Geok Choo in college. They were rivals for the top grade in economics class. From being rivals, they fell in love and got married secretly in 1947. Her parents did not approve. In 1950, they got married for the second time, this time officially. They would stay married for the next 63 years! While Lee devoted his life to building the country, Kwa devoted her life to him.

Lee, Kwa and their son.

Her health began to deteriorate when she experienced multiple strokes in 2003. In 2008, she was bedridden and developed locked-in syndrome. She was unable to communicate. It seemed she could not even understand when someone was communicating with her. Yet, it was during this time that Lee proved his devotion more than ever before. Every evening Lee would sit beside her and read to her. He would tell her about his day and the events that happened. Although she never responded and many people, including his immediate family, pointed to him that she was not communicable, he refused and kept on doing this. Lee told them he promised to love her till the very end, and it didn’t matter whether she understood or not. For 2 years and 3 months, Lee read to his wife every day.

She died in 2010. During her funeral, he walked up to her casket and "placed a stalk of red rose on her body. Then, he bent towards his beloved, reaching for her face with his right hand. He brought his hand back, kissed his fingers, and placed them on her forehead. Twice."

He wrote “I have precious memories of our 63 years together. Without her, I would be a different man, with a different life. She devoted herself to me and our children. She was always there when I needed her. She has lived a life full of warmth and meaning. I should find solace at her 89 years of her life well lived. But at this moment of the final parting, my heart is heavy with sorrow and grief.”

He had her photos displayed in every room of his house, he had her photos in his bed, and he would listen to her favorite music regularly. He teared up at every memory that reminded him of her.

One of his final wishes was that when he died, let his ashes be mixed with hers. He said, “We were joined in life and I would like our ashes to be joined in after this life".

Love is beautiful.