I owe one of the most magical memories of my life to Karen Yeo.
She took me to one of Taylor Swift's Singapore shows in 2024, and that evening, Taylor performed a mashup of two of my favorite songs. And when I'm lost or feeling low, I go back to that moment, remembering how Clean transitioned to evermore, and how for the first time in a long time, everything I doubted made sense.
We don't meet or even speak regularly, but when we do, it's like no time has passed. Our conversations jump from local to international politics, from news to technology, from music to BTS to anything under the sun. I don't need to edit myself when speaking with Karen, and if I'm mistaken, I know she'll kindly explain why.
Karen is kindness – always lending a hand, checking in when it's too quiet, and being there when it matters most. When Marc passed, she was one of the few people I felt the safest talking to about grief. She was patient and listened, and never once complained.
They say one of the ultimate tests of friendship is being willing to drive someone to — or pick someone up from — the airport. And thanks to Karen, I know what it's like to have that kind of friend.