A doctor said he wouldn't live past two, but he just graduated as valedictorian

Authored by channelnewsasia.com and submitted by DrCalFun
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Mr Tiong’s first boss at GIC, Ms Mah Lay Choon, said he impressed her with his quick thinking, “clear strength in writing” and stellar academic results.

He also displayed a strong “can-do” spirit and initiative, such as in organising a series of activities within the company as part of The Purple Parade movement to raise awareness of people with disabilities.

Importantly, during his internship, Ms Mah saw the value in having someone within GIC focused on editorial content – a role that tapped on Mr Tiong’s strengths.

“We acknowledge that there would be types of work that Jonathan would do less well in, but this would be the same for anyone since there will always be areas where one would be stronger in than others,” said Ms Mah, who is GIC's senior vice-president for communications.

While he initially second-guessed the offer, he took it after realising he “had no reason to say no”.

For starters, his colleagues treated him well – and crucially, without wearing “kid gloves”. This is when people try to be nice to a person with disabilities, but end up being patronising or condescending, he explained.

“They end up doing everything for the disabled person, or they might talk to the disabled person like we don’t understand anything. You know, the worst is those who use a squeaky voice. Why would you do that?” quipped Mr Tiong.

Entering the professional world amid a remote working revolution also meant his disability is no longer as big an issue as before.

Having everyone work online “feels really great”, said Mr Tiong. “Because when everyone is together online, I don't feel like there's actually much of a difference.”

He has never met his teammates and has only met his new manager a handful of times in person. But that hasn't affected the bond between them – “we share jokes, we send each other treats”, he said.

His arrival at GIC injected “a fresh new energy” into the team, said his manager and senior vice-president of corporate affairs and communications Yasmin Ramle, adding that he has a way of making people feel at ease.

In a moment of introspection, Mr Tiong admits that there will always be a trade-off between his physical comfort and “wanting to belong”.

“When everyone goes back to being face-to-face, being together, and I’m the only one online with a screen separating me from everyone else … When that day comes, I will have to make that decision to say the trade-off has to be made and let go of this online thing.”

Not one to mince his words, Mr Tiong has also said before that he is under no illusions about his health – and that he is “fully aware that I might die at any moment”.

This has shaped his outlook on life: He takes it one day at a time.

“A lot of people are conditioned to think long term, they have very grand 20-year-plans … I literally, every morning, make it my one goal to make it to the end of the day with as little damage as possible.”

Careful with how he spends his energy, he is slow to anger and does not hold grudges. “It’s one of the things I’m quite proud of. People have come to value my easy-going nature … Life’s too short.”

hiricinee on November 15th, 2021 at 12:21 UTC »

Spend years in medical school Make reasonable prognosis Kid destroys the odds Everyone reads story about what a dumb jackass you were.

Hayes4prez on November 15th, 2021 at 12:01 UTC »

My god, the kid could already speak at one?

Gh0stMan0nThird on November 15th, 2021 at 11:39 UTC »

Well of course he was valedictorian, he's been a doctor since he was two years old