'He was devastatingly handsome': Woman joins NDP march, ends up meeting future husband
Before online balloting was a thing, Ms Chua and her family would queue overnight for tickets just to score tickets to the National Day Parade (NDP).
"It was like our yearly tradition," said the 41-year-old, who now works as a KYC Specialist at DBS. "We'd sit on folding chairs, snack on potato chips and stay up just to be first in line."
From the booming flypasts to the precision of the marching contingents, she was captivated by it all.
Nothing, however, could have prepared her for what the SG50 parade would bring: the man who would become her husband.
That year, Ms Chua was selected to march with the DBS contingent. At the very first rehearsal at Nee Soon Camp, she noticed a trainer from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, Edwin Mong. He was assigned to her contingent.
"He was (and still is) devastatingly handsome," she said on a DBS Facebook post. "But more than that, he was kind. He always made sure our group drank enough water and took proper rest breaks."
As rehearsals continued, a quiet friendship began to form between them. After long hours under the sun, the group would often grab meals together, until one day, he asked her out to dinner, just the two of them.
They've been together ever since.
A year later, after countless "prata and Hokkien mee dates", he popped the question with 99 blue roses hidden in his car boot. They got married soon after.
Today, they're both back at the parade grounds - Ms Chua as a reserve contingent commander for DBS, and Mr Mong, 40, now an Air Force engineer, training this year's marching groups.
"While we won't be marching side by side this time, we're still honouring the mission that brought us together," she said.
Reflecting on her decade-long journey with DBS, from insurance to private banking, she said she is proud to be contributing to Singapore's financial integrity.
"As I march forward for SG60, I'll be carrying more than just a salute. I'll be carrying the pride of being Singaporean, the gratitude for a company that's helped me grow, and the joy of having found love in the most unexpected place."
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