Our founding fathers did more than just lead the nation, they were great fathers and husbands too
By Nicole-Marie Ng; Cover Image: Shutterstock
Image: Kwa Kim Li/The Straits Times
1. Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo
Like many other Singaporean love stories, Mr. Lee first met Mdm. Kwa when the two of them were in Junior College. All eyes were on Mdm. Kwa as she was the only female student at Raffles College and she also topped her cohort in English and Economic Science.
Her biggest competitor? Mr. Lee, who was coming in second, hot on her heels. Instead of a sense of rivalry, the two developed a close friendship and saw each other as equals who shared the same interests.
When they both went to Cambridge to study, the lovebirds got married at Stratford-upon-Avon. This secret union was unknown to their parents and was only revealed in Mr. Lee’s memoirs after their parent’s deaths.
Even in their old age, their love remained strong. When Mdm. Kwa suffered from her first stroke, Mr. Lee took care of her medication and would sit with her during meals to make sure that she was eating properly. After her second stroke, Mr. Lee spend hours with her, telling her about his day and reading her poems.
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