By Liew Hanqing
HE had recently celebrated his birthday and had proposed to his
girlfriend on the very same day. But just over a week later, Mr
John Patrick Wee, 50, the third of late Chief Justice Wee Chong
Jin's four children, died of a heart attack in his sleep while on a
work trip in Thailand.
Mr Wee, the deputy group CEO of the True Group, which comprises
fitness and wellness businesses across Asia, died in the wee hours
of Saturday morning in Bangkok, shortly after returning from a day
of golf in Pattaya.
He was rushed to hospital after earlier complaining of
discomfort in his chest, but died in hospital later in his
sleep.
His older brother, Mr Laurence Wee, 53, told The Straits Times
at the wake on Monday that his brother had been given a clean bill
of health by his doctor just weeks before he left for Thailand. 'We
didn't expect this would happen,' he said.
He added that the family had celebrated his brother's birthday
at a Chinese restaurant on Aug 12, just after he had proposed to
his girlfriend, Ms Juliana Jauw, earlier that day. Ms Jauw, an
undergraduate, was distraught but holding up, Mr Wee said.
In a statement, Ms Jauw, 22, said she was deeply saddened by her
fiance's sudden death. 'We were both excited to start planning for
our wedding. John was a loving man and adored children. He would
have made a wonderful husband and a loving father,' she said.