For most people, leaving the hospital means finally getting to go home. But for 57-year-old single father Chew Eng Kee, being discharged after suffering a second stroke only left him and his 16-year-old daughter with another problem: they had nowhere suitable to stay.
Chew is now unable to walk and requires assistance with almost every aspect of daily life. However, their fourth-floor flat has no lift, leaving his teenage daughter, Chew Lee See, unable to carry him upstairs.
With no other immediate option, the father and daughter turned their car into a temporary home.
For four days, they ate, slept, took medication and changed diapers inside the vehicle. Lee See even spent nights sleeping beside her father in the car, despite having to put up with mosquitoes. For a 16-year-old who should have been attending school, the situation has also forced her to take on responsibilities far beyond her age.
Second stroke leaves father unable to walk
Chew had previously suffered his first stroke in 2023. Although his movement became slower, he could still walk and manage his daily activities on his own. That changed earlier this month.
On September 18, Lee See found her father collapsed and rushed him to hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with a second stroke as well as a lung infection, and he remained hospitalised while receiving antibiotic treatment. He was discharged on September 24, but because he could no longer walk and their home was on the fourth floor without a lift, Lee See had no way to get him back into the flat.
The family eventually received help from One Hope Charity, which was contacted on Monday afternoon.
The charity immediately arranged assistance, and by that evening, Chew had been placed in an elderly care home, finally giving the father a proper place to stay.
Daughter gives up school to support her dad
Chew had been raising Lee See alone since separating from his wife.
He previously worked as a Grab driver, and when his daughter was younger, he would bring her along while working because he had nobody else to care for her. He reportedly even received complaints from passengers because of the arrangement.
After his second stroke left him unable to work, Lee See eventually decided to put her education on hold and find a job to help cover their living expenses, medical costs and physiotherapy. Although teachers had encouraged her to continue studying and offered to provide some assistance, she ultimately chose to start working.
She is now an apprentice at a beauty salon, hoping to learn a skill that will allow her to earn a living and eventually support her father while building a future for herself.
One Hope Charity chairman Datuk Chua Sui Hau said Chew’s condition means he will require long-term care. While the charity has helped arrange accommodation for him, his ongoing care, accommodation and medical expenses remain a long-term financial burden for the family.
The charity said it would continue assessing the family’s situation and provide assistance where possible.
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