This was more than just a flight for Pang Hong.
The homeless elderly man from Kuala Lumpur had never stepped into an airplane prior to this.
Then in September, he met Singaporean content creator Kevin Wee, who goes by Radical Kindness on TikTok, and the pair appeared to have formed a special bond.
So much so that Kevin decided to fly Pang Hong to Singapore on a two-day tour.
Last Saturday (Dec 15), Kevin uploaded a TikTok clip of the elderly man's reaction to travelling on a plane for the first time.
@radical_kindness_ In Sep, I made friends with a homeless elderly man in KL (See pinned video on profile for context). I was touched by both of them; one for his gratitude and warmth, and caretaker from @Petaling Street Community Care by her undying love to serve on the streets. So I flew them to SG for a 2 day tour 😊 Stay tuned for it! #sgfyp #sgtiktok #kl #kindnesssg #homeless ♬ original sound - Radical Kindness
During his time in Kuala Lumpur, Kevin stated that he had also met a caretaker from Petaling Street Community Care.
He was touched by her "undying love" to serve the underprivileged and homeless, such as Pang Hong.
So he decided to fly them both to Singapore for a two-day tour.
At the airport before departing Kuala Lumpur, Pang Hong was visibly thrilled to begin his adventure to Singapore.
While hugging Kevin, the elderly man said: "Kevin, my first time sitting on a plane!"
Upon boarding the plane, Pang Hong headed to his seat and let out a sheepish grin as he struggled to work the belt buckle.
"I took buses hundreds of times but this is my first time flying," he said.
As the plane was preparing for take-off, Pang Hong got visibly emotional and started to tear up.
A flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore takes roughly an hour and the clip showed how Pang Hong was staring out the window in awe for the majority of the flight.
At Changi Airport's arrival hall, there was another surprise in store for the group.
The visitors were gifted a friendship bracelet with their names as well as flower bouquets by some of Kevin's followers, who were eager to be part of the special moment.
Before they left the airport, Pang Hong managed to squeeze in a visit to Jewel Rain Vortex, the world's tallest indoor waterfall, which he'd only ever seen on a screen till now.
And it wasn't just Pang Hong who was moved to tears — many netizens took to the comments section admitting that they too, got all emotional watching the clip.
"I love this gesture. Uncle is so happy. I'm smiling and tearing at the same time," one TikTok user commented.
Others thanked Kevin for being so gracious and providing Pang Hong with an experience he will never forget.
A netizen wrote: "This is beautiful, thank you for making a difference in his life!"
Vacation time
@radical_kindness_ Pt 2 ! Thanks @Solace Studios and @Smashed SG for hosting us #sgtiktok #sgfyp #kindnesssg #homeless ♬ original sound - Radical Kindness
During his stay in Singapore, Pang Hong also got the chance to explore Haji Lane.
Together with Kevin, they headed to a Korean-style selfie studio where they took a few snaps at the airplane-themed booth.
After that, it was time for dinner and they were treated to a meal at a nearby burger joint.
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amierul@asiaone.com