BAHAU: A touching story of love, perseverance, and unwavering guardianship spanning nearly 29 years—from 1996 until today—has finally reached its heartwarming conclusion.

By the time trustees of the Wong Chun Jet Trust Fund hand over the final cheque of RM261,664.80 to Wong, it marks the closure of the fund.

A nearly three-decade of guardianship has reached its natural end. Wong is ready to stand on his own feet.

Born with paralysed legs, Wong’s father passed away before his birth and lost his mother at the age of two. He was raised by grandmother in a village home.

A short newspaper article changed Wong’s life in 1996.

Datuk Sam Chin Yan, the then president of the Kuala Lumpur Selangor (Bahau) Chi Wen School Alumni Association, who read the story, was determined not to let the boy face the world alone.

“My only thought was: this child must not be abandoned,” he said.

Sam decided to set up a trust fund for the boy in the name of the alumni association.

He first contacted both Chinese and English newspapers.

 When the story was published, it sparked an overwhelming response — with The Star even placing it on its front page.

Donations poured in with his office phone ringing from morning until night, said Sam.

“It even affected business. Some customers complained they couldn’t get through. But honestly, seeing Malaysians willing to help — it was incredibly moving,” he said.

Within three months, more than RM390,000 was raised.

In March 1997, the Wong Chun Jet Trust Fund was established, with most of the funds placed under professional management to ensure long-term support.

The fund paid for Wong’s medical treatments, physiotherapy, living expenses, and education.

Under prudent management, the fund continued to grow, becoming both a safety net and a springboard.

Wong went on to complete primary and secondary schools, before entering Tunku Abdul Rahman College (now Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology).

He graduated, landed a job, and began building a life of his own.

To give him a stable home base, RM350,000 was allocated to purchase an apartment in Kuala Lumpur.

But perhaps the most telling moment came years later, when Wong donated RM200,000 from his own savings to the alumni association’s “Caring Fund,” paying forward the kindness he once received.

In November, Sam and fellow trustees announced the official closure of the fund.

 The remaining balance was handed to Wong, now 31 and capable of managing his own life.

For Sam, the journey was long, and at times heavy. But never regrettable.

“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted.

“But seeing him grow up and capable of managing his own life — everything was worth it.

“We just did what we should. We held up a sky for a child,” he said.

For nearly 30 years, the community chose to believe that one boy deserves a future. And in doing so, they proved something powerful:

When a hand is extended, the world softens.

When a child is supported, the future changes.

And sometimes, the most extraordinary stories begin with one person saying, “This child must not be abandoned.”