'It was a little overwhelming': Both Edmund Chen and Xiang Yun's mums were hospitalised at same time

It's distressing having one elderly parent in hospital, but imagine having two.

On Tuesday (Sept 12), Xiang Yun's mum died at the age of 84. She contracted a viral infection while undergoing treatment for her uterine cancer, leading to kidney failure. According to Shin Min Daily News, fellow actors including Zoe Tay, Aileen Tan, Brandon Wong, Pierre Png and the crew of the drama My One and Only have paid their respects.

Xiang Yun's husband, former actor Edmund Chen, shared with Shin Min in a recent interview that, in an unfortunate coincidence, his mum was hospitalised at the same time and in the same hospital as his mother-in-law.

Edmund, 62, said that his mum fell and was admitted into hospital a month ago, but she was hospitalised again when she fell again in the toilet. He added that her falls were contributed by the weakness in her legs.

Elaborating worriedly, he said: "Many things happened to her. And now that my mother-in-law has died, it is a little overwhelming on both sides.

"It was really coincidental that both of them (Xiang Yun's mum and his mum) were admitted into the same hospital, with one in a ward on a higher floor and the other one on a lower floor."

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Last year, Xiang Yun, 61, and her siblings brought their Ipoh-born mum to visit her sister in Ipoh.

Xiang Yun shared with Shin Min: "We pushed her in a wheelchair, and ate durians along the way. It was a happy journey because we all have our own families but took time to accompany her on this holiday. I know she was happy… We also visited Malacca and Genting."

On Tuesday, Xiang Yun posted photos and funeral details and thanked her mother for her sacrifice to her family. Xiang Yun and Edmund's son Chen Xi also posted on his Instagram Story and apologised for not being present with his grandmother in her last moments as he is currently studying in the UK.

Yesterday, the couple's daughter Chen Yixin posted a poem on Instagram Story written by her cousin titled A Grandmother's Love, expressing her gratitude to the older generations who went through hardships for their descendants.

Edmund also wrote a post thanking his mother-in-law and comparing her to a sunflower.

He wrote: "Thank you for being bright and warm like the sunflower, for your care and concern, for nurturing this family. Have a safe journey and we love you forever."

ALSO READ: 'It would have saved my parents tuition money': Chen Yixin on her ADHD and what it means to go public about it

jolynn.chia@asiaone.com