‘He only slept 3 hours a day and worked day & night to pay for his mother’s kidney treatment’ — Food delivery rider collapses and dies on the way to see his mum

MALAYSIA: In a heartbreaking tale of sacrifice and silent struggle, a Malaysian food delivery rider gave his all — and paid the ultimate price.

According to a viral post on Threads by @realhairie, which was written in Malay, the rider collapsed by the roadside in Kuala Lumpur while completing his final delivery of the day. Passersby rushed to his aid, but it was too late. He had tragically already drawn his last breath before he could see his mother for one last time.

But what police officers discovered on his phone later tore through the hearts of readers across the region even more: “Mum, I have a little bit more work to finish. I’ll come home tonight with your favourite dish,” was the last message he typed and sent to his mother.

“My son didn’t make it home for us to eat together, but I’m proud of him…”

As his body was returned home, his mother’s tears were joined by the silent mourning of neighbours and fellow riders, some bowing their heads in prayer, unable to hold back their tears.

The post also revealed that the rider had been living in a PPR (low-cost flat or Program Perumahan Rakyat) with his mother. What’s even more heart-wrenching is that her son worked day and night, sleeping only three hours a day, so that he could earn enough money to pay for his mother’s kidney treatment.

After his demise, they found inside his delivery bag a crumpled RM10 (S$3) donation slip — a weekly contribution to his local mosque that he never missed, despite living hand to mouth for his mother.

His mother now, though grieving, shared her quiet pride for her beloved child: “My son didn’t make it home for us to eat together, but I’m proud of him because he earned an honest living with all his heart and might till the very end.”

The post ended with a sobering reminder: “Everyone has a personal life story and is fighting a battle you cannot see. Don’t look down on other people’s jobs. Sometimes what looks ordinary is actually far more noble than what it appears to be.”

In a society obsessed with only seeing speedy deliveries but is blind to the silent sufferings of the human behind the helmet, this young rider’s story is nothing short of a gut punch — not just about poverty, but about dignity.

He was a good son, a quiet caregiver with a noble spirit. He didn’t live long, but he lived a life full of meaning, devoted to serving others, and driven by love for his mother.

Read related: Wake-up call for SG workaholics: Working long hours but sleeping short hours is how you kill your heart slowly, and… die faster!

Read more: PHV driver/rider guide for Singaporeans: How being behind the wheel is killing you, and what you can do to stay alive and beat fatigue without hitting the brakes