Sarath Alexander son of Innasimuthu (18S10)

Despite mounting challenges and his sudden loss, Sarath Alexander s/o Innasimuthu (18S10) remains strong and committed to his goals.

When Sarath Alexander s/o Innasimuthu lost his mother in the year that he was due to take his GCE A Level examination, his whole world came crashing down. He was three months away from the examination, and despite the fact that his mother had been battling cancer for close to three years, her passing was something he did not expect.

“While it was very hard to come home every day and see my mother suffering and battling cancer, I did not mind caring for her, and appreciated the fact that she was still with us, no matter how great the stress and exhaustion was from being one of her caregivers. But when her condition suddenly worsened and she passed on in the hospital, I really just broke down. I was devastated. I thought there was hope for her to recover.”

Even before his mother’s passing, the family’s battle with her illness took its toll on Sarath’s academic performance. As a Normal (Academic) stream student posted to Jurong Junior College (JJC, which became Jurong Pioneer Junior College [JPJC] following a merger in 2019), he already found it challenging to cope with some of his subjects because he did not have any background in them. At the same time, he had to care for his mother daily after school, on top of all his academic and Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) demands. All these led, unfortunately, to Sarath having to repeat his JC1 year. While he was initially very affected by this setback, Sarath admits that it was a blessing in disguise.

“I feel really upset at first, because as the only child, I did not want to disappoint my parents, who had never pressured me in this aspect, but loved me very much. However, I gradually realised that it was a good thing to stay back in JC1, because it allowed me to build up a stronger academic foundation, manage my time better and be more prepared for anything that could crop up. I learnt to take this setback in my stride and moved on.”

It was this sense of optimism and maturity that saw Sarath through the darkest period of his life. His Civics Tutor, Miss Penny Lee Si Li, was amazed by his positive attitude and resilience. “Despite him repeating in JC1 and his mother’s medical condition, Sarath was always a bubbly, cheerful and helpful student.” The day of his mother’s passing coincided with Sarath’s Science Practical Preliminary Examination, and on the morning of his Chemistry Practical examination, he had to attend the last rites for his mother’s funeral. Yet, Sarath insisted on taking the examination.

Sarath’s father also notes how the family drew strength from Sarath in difficult times. When asked about how he was able to remain resilient in the midst of adversity, Sarath cites his very strong family bonds and the unwavering support he receives from his teachers and friends in college.

“I think during my darkest days, the support I received from my family, friends and teachers was what helped me to get through each day. My extended family lives just a few blocks away from me, so I have a very close relationship with my grandmother and cousins – to the point where I basically see my cousins as my siblings as well. We really rallied together when my mother was not well. My father was also a pillar of strength to me, because he had to take on the role of both mom and dad to me, and did everything he could. To add on to that, I think school was also my coping mechanism. When I was in school, being with my friends, especially classmates, cheered me up and helped take my mind off my troubles at home.”

Sarath also shared how the quiet care and concern his Civics and Subject Tutors all showed him really touched his heart. His Civics Tutors Miss Penny Lee and Madam Goh Lee Leng kept in constant touch with him, checking on his emotional and physical wellbeing, encouraging him with text messages, calls and making sure that he had all the support he needed. Even his subject tutors often checked in on him to ensure he was coping well.

It was precisely this network of support and encouragement that gave Sarath the strength to care for others and give back to the college and wider community, even as he was experiencing so many challenges and setbacks. Sarath was a Student Councillor in 2017, where he led in organising events such as Graduation Night 2017. He was subsequently appointed Vice-President of The Ambassadors in 2019, and together with the President, led their team in hosting and engaging distinguished guests for the college in 2019.

“I really like meeting new people, and talking to others. This, together with my experience of going through very big emotional setbacks in my life, has motivated me to want to help others who are experiencing similar things. I would also like to give back to society and others around me, the kind of love and support I have received.”

With this in mind, Sarath intends to major in Psychology in university to achieve his dream of being able to help others who are in psychological and emotional turmoil.

When asked if he had any advice or pearls of wisdom to share with his juniors, Sarath poignantly said, “Whenever you face hardships, just take things one step at a time, day by day. Sometimes, thinking about the future may prove too much for us to take, so just be thankful for what you have at the moment and seize the moment. Do what you can now. I was heartbroken to think about how my mother could not be there for my major life events in future, so I focused on every day when I could still see her and spend time with her when I got home. I think we should cherish everything we have now and make our life a fruitful one.”