Elvin Ng Opens Up About Losing 2 Family Members Shortly Before He Flew To Cambodia For Work

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Getting trapped in a walk-in wardrobe was the least unfortunate thing that happened to Mediacorp actor Elvin Ng while filming Pedal On For Hope.

Pedal On For Hope is a series where 11 celebs, including Chen Hanwei, Felicia Chin, and Andie Chen, embark on a 5,000km relay cycling journey from Kunming, Yunnan, to Singapore, to raise S$50K for the Singapore Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

The 44-year-old tells 8days.sg that he received the devastating news that his younger cousin had suddenly passed away the night before his morning flight to Cambodia, where he was due to take over from local actor Shane Pow, who had just cycled 545km through the forests of Cambodia.

“I couldn't go to the wake or send my cousin off as my work schedule was fixed for this trip, and it was a large production involving many personnel. My family and relatives understood and would want me to carry on with my work,” he tells us.

“My cousin's mum did a video call with me at his wake and showed me his face while he was lying in the coffin peacefully,” Elvin adds.

This is the second time this year that he has lost family members. 

Elvin’s aunt, the younger sister of his mum, had died just a week earlier after a short three-month battle with cancer.

Despite the emotional weight, he masked it well in the episode. 

“I didn't keep thinking about it and kept it somewhere quiet inside my heart and was looking forward to what was in store for me during the trip,” he said.

“It was when the crew bid farewell that I went on the boat and was asked about my feelings during the casual interview on the boat, that everything came to me about my aunt's and cousin's passing away and that I missed them,” he shares.

Elvin describes the cycling journey as a form of emotional reset even though it was still a work trip.

“Now that I was all alone out there somewhere and was totally at peace and in tune with how I was feeling,” he says.

When we ask if he ever had to steel himself while filming, Elvin says there was no need to as the experience didn’t feel like work.

“When the cameras stopped filming, I was still on a journey with myself and the team. I was just totally at ease with myself and enjoying the experiences and encounters come what may, and totally in tune and happy with whatever emotions I might be feeling at any point during the trip,” he shares.

Well, apparently that zen did not last and The Spirit Hunter actor’s leg of the relay was hit with chaos due to the Cambodia-Thailand military conflict shutting down a border crossing.

“I was totally in shock,” Elvin says. “It never occurred to me that a crossing could be closed. I thought it worked like our Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia. Is the whole relay cycling trip going to get stuck here at [this point], because the route has to be continuous and linked right?" 

The team was forced to detour back to Siem Reap, then fly to Bangkok to continue the ride. 

However, there were more unexpected incidents to come.

While cycling, Elvin nearly met with a car accident after almost being sandwiched between two vehicles in Bangkok traffic when one swerved without signaling.

“I had to do an emergency brake if not I'd be squashed between 2 cars,” he shares with us.

There was a sense of déjà vu as Elvin says the incident triggered memories of a car accident that he was involved in 20 years ago - his car had flipped but Elvin fortunately was unharmed.

The near-accident in Bangkok was almost the straw the broke the camel's back. 

“The car accident was the one time that made me go, "No, I'm not cycling anymore,” and I had to stop and take a break. Emotionally and mentally, it suddenly jerked me awake, and I suddenly felt really tired at that point,” he shares.

Thankfully, Elvin persevered, and he finally made it to the finishing line, where he passed the baton on to fellow Mediacorp actor Darren Lim for the next leg of the journey. 

Photos: Mediacorp, elvinngchoongsiong/IG

Catch Elvin in Pedal for Love on mewatch or in the video below: