Infamous Eunos hoarder

For the last 20 years, they hardly spoke to each other. His wife has turned into a serial hoarder, piling up trash in their home but he never left her. Mdm Soh has turned their flat into a dumping ground. Infested with cockroaches and bugs, Mr Lim tolerated everything she did and soon he was left with no room to sleep in. Not even a place sit down. His bed was the wooden sofa with removable cushions and he was always scratching his body. Bitten by the bugs everyday, he had said in his own words that "the cockroaches have become my friends".

I visited Mr. Lim a second time this morning with the pestbusters. Two weeks ago, a team of cleaners led by the RC came to clear out the trash. After that day, Mdm Soh was sent to IMH for treatment. A request was made to Project Awareness to step in to help restore the Lim's flat but before that could be done, it had to be fumigated.

I inquired after Mr. Lim's health and how he feelt about his now "empty" flat. Surprisingly, he did not sound as solemn as before and was more chatty. He even smiled to me. From his smile, I could see that he was happy that the trash was gone. Even his immediate neighbour, Mdm Ashikin, whose family was most badly affected by the infestation, noted that Mr. Lim (whom she calls affectionately "Uncle Lim"), was cheerier. But there was somebody whom he missed. And you may find it hard to believe. It was his wife, Mdm Soh.

One would feel surprised that he would miss someone who had turned his whole world upside down and gave him a living hell. I asked why he missed her and he actually said he wanted her to come home. It is hard to fathom matters of the heart but here is the man who stood by his woman all the time and never thought of leaving her. Even when she was the infamous Eunos hoarder.