[PHOTOS] Walking tall with patriotic spirit to rise above personal sadness
Stilt-walker Uncle Ting Tong disguises pain of seeing his children, wife ailing by bringing happiness to others
Updated 1 year ago · Published on 31 Aug 2022 9:00AM
by Alif Omar
KUALA LUMPUR – Stilt-walking entertainer Uncle Ting Tong has brought laughter and joy to countless people, young and old, with his jokes, antics and sheer show of exuberance.
Not many know these outward actions of Uncle Ting Tong, whose real name is Roslee Yusop, in fact disguise a deep sadness within him.
All three of Roslee’s children suffer from thalassemia, the genetic disease related to red blood cells, which they have had since birth. The condition requires frequent follow-up treatments.
To add to the family’s woes, his wife is also ill.
Regardless, Roslee does not consider the situation as a drawback in life. He chooses to rise above the sadness by resolving to make other people happy.
In conjunction with the month-long celebration leading to National Day today, he replaced his usual clown costume with one that bears the design of the Jalur Gemilang in order to spread the spirit of patriotism in the community.
Poignantly, his son Muhammad Nirwan continues his legacy as a clown.
If allowed to, Uncle Ting Tong, now 55, wants to continue performing as a long-legged clown till he is 70.
The Vibes photographer ALIF OMAR ventured with his camera to record the actions and feelings of the remarkable street artiste recently. – The Vibes, August 31, 2022
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