Dear Elaine #RIP MH17

This is a tribute to Elaine Teoh, as of 9 August 2014, she is reportedly the first Malaysian identified from the MH 17 crash site, as well to those who died on MH 17 and the many Malaysians worldwide who are grieving their loss and the effect it has on a nation with the one month anniversary of the disaster on the horizon. 

Dear Elaine,

I never knew you at all. As far as I know, the only similarities we have are the fact that we are Malaysian Chinese and both are based overseas happily attached to our partners of European descent. Perhaps, we have some mutual friends on facebook by dint of the fact you went to university with some of my friends from school.

Yet, like your friends, family and many of our contemporaries born around 1985-87, your shock, sudden and premature death on 17 July 2014 in what many now deem an act of terrorism has affected me profoundly.

You symbolise and represent our generation of Malaysians - growing up on nasi lemak and roti canai for breakfast, surviving the sweat bucket preparing and sitting our UPSR, PMR and SPM exams in our schools and then relaxing by watching EPL football on Astro then heading overseas to Australia, the UK, the USA, New Zealand, etc. for university and to make a living and name for ourselves. Some of us have returned home, some of us like you and I found love and happiness while overseas.

I am glad you found a loving partner in Emiel and enjoyed a happy life with him while you were both alive. It is such a tragedy that you never got to see the rest of your journey together.

It just shows you that fate is so random, yet when it decides to strike, its effects can be so powerful for a brief moment and then it's all over. Therefore, we must always appreciate what we have, what we were, what we are and what we will be.

MH 17 along with MH 370 have been particularly difficult for Malaysians worldwide. We all knew someone else who died - indeed, captain Eugene Choo was a family friend from Penang.

Yet, never has pride in Malaysia, pride in being Malaysian been stronger. You just can never remove years of growing up in Malaysia, loving char koay teow and assam laksa, complaining about KL traffic and UMNO.

One hopes Malaysia Airlines can and will bounce back.

But for now, we are mourning the loss of a fellow young 1985/6er Malaysian and the loss of a contemporary who will never be able to fulfill the dreams of wealth, marriage and children that we young Malaysians seek.

RIP Elaine Teoh.

#RIPMH17