Lee Wei Kong once had his entire life in front of him. A talented and highly athletic rugby player, he also earned honors while studying art at school. When he was hit by a taxi in the middle of a rainstorm, catapulting him into an extended coma with a host of injuries, Lee still had his entire life in front of him. He just had to approach it differently from what he planned.
Lee was left with a dent in his left temple and a metal plate to bolster it. His parents noted that his personality was different, too. Now, Lee doesn’t often consider consequences and makes and loses friends quickly because of how demanding he can be. He doesn’t pick up on social cues that he used to, and it makes it hard for him to hold a job. But with perseverance and parents who refused to give up on him, Lee made it through school and got his degree in art.
Art was also an important part of Lee’s rehabilitation. For a time, he was unable to use his right hand or arm — his dominant side. A doctor tried to encourage Lee to develop his left side, but his parents insisted he be given a chance to try to recapture his former control on his right side. Within time, Lee was able to paint with his right hand again, and he and his parents swiftly discovered that he was still able to paint with some degree of skill.
Lee currently works painting murals in a dormitory. Though he sometimes wishes he could leave and do something different, his parents encourage him to stick with it. It’s important that Lee continue to have a job and the income that comes with it. Lee’s parents know they won’t be around forever to help him out, so they push him to continue to be as independent as he can be. What helps ease their mind, though, is that Lee recently married a woman from China that his parents met through a coworker. She didn’t mind what limitations Lee still experiences, though he has come quite a far way. He has two daughters through his wife, and hopes for a son in the near future.
Art can be therapeutic as well as informative, helping people tap into creative sides they might not have previously known about. Explore your latent creative side by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com has art classes for all types of interests, including oil pastel drawing, watercolor painting, digital art, caricature drawing, and many more. Meet one-on-one with your teacher to start developing the skills and techniques you need to complete projects you’re interested in. It doesn’t matter if you’re already an accomplished artist looking for feedback on ongoing masterpieces or someone looking to develop a new hobby.
To read more about Lee Wei Kong’s life and the art he now makes, go to http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/there-s-still-hope-he-can-live-a-normal-life/3468750.html.