In case you’re not aware, Facebook has a feature called Memorialized Account, in which a person who has passed away will have his or her account turned into a Memorialized Account.
To do that, the person would have to choose someone whom he or she trusts. That someone, who must be 18 and above, can then proceed to turn the deceased’s Facebook account into a Memorialized Account so friends would know that he or she has passed on.
And that was how people know about Samantha Lee’s passing.
Who is Samantha Lee?
Samantha Lee was 1 of the top 12 finalists in the third season of Singapore Idol that took place in 2009.
On 22 December 2019, at 6:00 p.m., the musician posted this on her Facebook Page and Instagram account:
Lest you can’t read the captions on the video, here’s what she’s written:
To whom it may concern,
I know all of you cared for me. Thanks to all of you who have helped me, I managed to last till now.
But you couldn’t understand my depression because for you to really understand it, you have to go through it, which I will not wish upon anyone. I do not blame you for that, but I will blame you if you let my release affect your happiness.
We all did our bests but I still do not fit in in this world anymore and I know I never ever will. So this is my goodbye.
And on the same exact moment, she posted this in her Facebook Page, too:
And in case you can’t read, here’s what is written:
Open Letter
“Funny when you’re dead people start listening”
So I would like to take advantage of my death and leave some words for the world so people don’t repeat the same mistakes I did.
If you’re a victim to domestic violence, be it emotionally or physically, take action. Do not ignore the red flags. A fingerpoint to ur chest might turn into a push, a push might turn into a hit… it usually doesn’t happen suddenly. Your relationship might be able to be saved if you seek help from family counsellors early. Your loved one will not be slapped with criminal charges and with professional help, it’s less likely for things to get worse to a point of no return and you will be able to keep your family together.
If you’re suffering from mental health issues, don’t be scared to voice it out. It’s easier to heal from it the sooner you realise. It doesn’t mean you’re crazy. We are just more aware of our emotions in our society now. Just visit any polyclinic and request a referral to a Community Wellness Centre. You will not need to visit IMH for that. And anyway, IMH it’s not like most people think, there are different wards for different conditions. There are also people like us in IMH who take time off to face their illnesses and do get out better. Don’t wait till it’s too late till it manifests and gets hardwired in your brain like me.
How many more lives do mental health and domestic violence need to take for the world to be truly aware of it’s existence?
To IMH: Thank you to all the doctors and nurses who helped me and other patients during my stay. But please do something about Dr. Tor. I am aware he’s one of your top doctors and he has alot of achievements. But he does not care about his patients with the heart to heal them, he sees patients for less than 3 minutes each time and do not open his ears to his patients. How do you even cure someone just by reviewing nurses’ reports on their external behavior without listening to his or her inner problems? He sedates them with medications or threatens them with admission if they do not listen to him. I saw 3 people who would not have ended their lives so early if they received proper help. One good e.g. is of a very eloquent, confident and successful property agent who came in for her mood problems but in only 2 weeks, she became so tranquilized that she couldn’t even feed or bathe herself and lost touch with reality. I believe if he puts his heart back in his craft with his qualifications, Dr. Tor will be a good doctor again.
Now, before anything, do note that the person who manages the Memorialized Account has no option to amend the Memorialized Account’s contents, but merely write a pinned post, respond to friend requests and update the profile and cover image.
Also do note that these are allegations.
In her personal Facebook profile, she also shared this on 17 December:
Her cause of death has not been revealed.
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Now, in any case, she has a very valid point: mental illness is just like flu. If you or any of your friends need help, below are some numbers to take note of:
Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1800 221 4444
Institute of Mental Health’s Helpline: 6389 2222
Singapore Association of Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019
Rest in peace, Samantha Lee.
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