When Martin Wong came across a serious traffic accident along Seletar West Link on Tuesday (Aug 18) evening, he stopped to help.
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, he assessed the condition of the injured motorcyclist before performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.
But unlike the other emergencies Wong had responded to, this one ended in tragedy.
The 25-year-old motorcyclist later died in hospital.
As footage of the incident emerged online, some people started to question whether the motorcyclist had died because of the accident or because of CPR.
Speaking to AsiaOne, Wong said he understood why people who had only seen photographs or short videos of the incident might have questions.
"They may only be seeing one part of what had happened," he told us.
The 53-year-old also doesn't hold anything against people who questioned what they saw.
He doesn't want the incident to become an argument, saying: "A young man lost his life and there is a family grieving for him".
Instead, he hopes the public can have a better understanding of first aid and what needs to be done in the first few minutes of an emergency.
Recounting the numerous times he had helped others, he told us there are incidents that stay in one's mind, especially when the outcome is not what everyone had hoped for.
"But I also know that I cannot control the final outcome of every emergency."
Despite the criticism, Wong said: "If you are trained, the situation is safe and somebody needs help, I still believe we should be willing to step forward."
Wong, an adjunct professor and director of Xin Yuan Community Care, also volunteers as a first aid trainer and is involved in community emergency preparedness.
He hopes that more people will learn basic first aid, CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
"You don't need to be a healthcare professional to make a difference," he said.
"What matters is knowing what you can do, staying within your ability and being prepared to act when somebody needs help."
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