Man lauded for looking after needy and estranged elderlies and arranging free funerals for them

In a world where people mostly focus on their own lives, the concepts of life, death and kindness play a crucial role and bring positivity. People often fear death as they grow old because it scares them and makes them feel lonely. Unfortunately, this fear turns into a reality for some. However, one man from Singapore took it upon himself to shower these needy and estranged elderlies with kindness. 58-year-old Tommy Yu looks after old folks who have no family and provides them peace after death, reported mothership.

There have been many times when Yu has assisted his colleagues during the last rites of elderlies for whom no one from their family turned up. For one such case, he told the media outlet: "A small group gathered in front of the coffin, looking down in silence. I stood a little further back in the funeral service hall, observing the last rites. Two of the dead man's colleagues held joss sticks in their hands while a monk chanted some prayers."

Yu further explained the setting of the funeral with only 4-5 people present there, including him and the monk. He went on to say, "This is more than the usual crowd. Usually, it's just me and the monk." He also shed light on the reasons why people were dying alone, with no family member attending their funerals. Some did not have families, some were no longer associated with their families and kin, some were immigrants and for some, there was no way to contact relatives. As no one was left to perform their last rites, Yu stepped in to lend a hand and has not stopped since.

Since 1986, Yu has been providing free funerals for people who die alone. He said, "If you only interact with your social circle, if you eat and live well, you may not realize that these people exist. But, I've spoken to many of them." Yu started Seng Xiang Services in 1990, which handles funerals as a commercial service. However, for those who have no one, he takes it on as his responsibility to do a good deed and perform their last rites.

In his teen years, Yu encountered an activity at the center where he usually interacted with elderly people. He witnessed a situation where a goon threatened the helpless old people, while he was there. He managed to defend and send the man away, but he realized the silent plea on the faces of those people. "If I didn't go to the center, I would just be loitering at the coffee shop or the market anyway, looking for trouble. So, I might as well sit there. I can protect these old folks while I'm at it." That's when Yu got more involved in the lives of the elderlies and began to bond with them.

Soon, he set up a voluntary organization, Love and Unity Volunteers Establishment, to help the elderly needy people and look after them. Yu kept a small team that connected and bonded with the old people. He has received much love for his work in the form of support, donations and so on.

Yu understood the needs of the elderlies and turned it into his life's purpose to look after these people and provide for them what is a basic right, not a luxury. His example is an inspiration for us to look around and find those in need and help them. All it takes is one step of kindness to form a flow of love and understanding.