Pupil overcomes heart attack and stroke to pass PSLE

He never gave up despite medical setbacks, will head to secondary school of his choice

- Gabrielle Chan

At just 10 years old, Ridhwan Fadli was hospitalized with a severe respiratory illness that triggered a heart attack, leaving him in a battle for his life.

What began as a simple flu worsened into an influenza infection that caused a myocardial infarction, which put him on life support for 14 days, said his parents, Mr Mohammad Fadli and Madam Siti Rizana.

Ridhwan's heart condition, along with other complications such as stroke, resulted in him having to use a wheelchair as he was paralyzed from the waist down.

His speech and cognitive abilities were also impacted.

Despite these setbacks, the North View Primary School pupil was determined not to let his condition hold him back.

"I never felt like giving up," said Ridhwan, who is now 12.

"Although I was scared of failing my exams when I was in the hospital, my teachers helped me to overcome my fear."

After spending three months in hospital, Ridhwan returned to school in Primary 5.

His teachers dedicated extra time to help him catch up with his schoolwork and adjust back to school life.

They taught him how to be resilient and overcome challenges.