Teacher Alex

 I was on my way to the pasar this morning when Nizzar called me on my phone. "Mummy, Teacher Alex has passed away."

I was like, "What? When? How???" 

"This morning.." he said. "I don't know much details. Soraya told me as she got the message from Tc Alex's daughter". 

Then he sent me the obituary page.

I was dumbfounded. Utterly shocked.

Teacher Alex was my son's Maths tuition teacher. I got to know him from my friend, Intan. He first arrived at my house for tuition in February 2020. He was a short, well built Indian man, aged 63 at that time. He looked serious but quite chatty and jovial. 

He introduced himself. Told me his background (he was a Johanian), his career (been a tuition teacher for >20 years), his family, his students and so forth. My son just kept quiet besides him at the dining table.

Thereafter, i met him again maybe once or twice. Then he stopped coming because of the lockdown and also because he had moved to live in Cyberjaya. Hence, tuition was held on line from March 2020 until my son finished his IGCSE in 2022. 

Eventhough i didn't see him again after that, we kept in touch through WA. I wished him Happy Birthday every year because my son would tell me, "Mummy, esok birthday Tc Alex". Tc Alex also taught Soraya (Harissa's sister) and Daniel (Nizzar's friend). They kept in touch with him regularly. 

On 19 September 2026, his family organized his 70th birthday party. The kids were invited and went along to celebrate his milestone. We presented him with a caricature of him teaching and he loved it. 

That was the last time they met. Just slightly more than one month after, he passed away on 31 October 2026.

I don't know why but his passing hit me pretty badly. I kept on thinking about him and can't believe that he is gone. I was not very close to him, only met him twice or trice. But from the stories that my kids relayed to me, i knew he was a great man. A great teacher.

Sometimes in life, we cross paths with someone for only a brief moment, yet they leave a lasting impression. That was exactly who he was to me. Though I knew him too short a time, the impact he left on me and the kids is immeasurable. He didn't just teach lessons; he offered patience, belief, and kindness that completely changed his students' outlook and confidence in learning.

Goodbye Tc Alex.. you will surely be missed. Your smile and laughter will forever be etched in our hearts.