Rising from the ashes
He moved from the glitzy world of fashion to doing charity work – and Adrian Ong couldn’t be happier!
PETALING JAYA: Adrian Ong knows a thing or two about picking himself up after a major downturn in life.
Ong, a former fashion designer, lost it all when his business partner cheated him and left him with nothing.
“At one time, I was very popular in the Malay fashion market. I was known by artistes and VIPs, and I was a wedding planner for high-end weddings as well.
“But then, my business partner played me out. I was left with zero,” said the 57-year-old from Malacca.
He hit rock bottom when his business and life crashed at one fell swoop.
“I went through depression because I couldn’t accept my situation.
“There were times when all I had in my pocket was RM3.
“All my friends deserted me. The only constant thought I had at that time was to commit suicide, because I had no friends,” he said.
It was during this time that Ong, who has four foster children, met Parents Without Partners founder and director Mary Anne Tan, who took him under her wing.
“She brought me in (to the NGO). They mentored me and helped me recover and stand on my feet again,” he said.
This meeting led to a new chapter in his life.
Ong is now the manager of Jumble Station in Jaya One.
The NGO’s thrift shop sells donated items to raise funds for single parents.
“Doing this, I found out who the real me is. “I dabbled in fashion because that was my hobby, but what I am doing now is the real me.
“I can truly be myself,” Ong said, adding that working in charity has taught him to be more loving and caring.
“In the fashion world, we think about ourselves; in the world of charity, you learn what life is really about.”
He said that his focus now was to help other underprivileged single parents in the country.
“When we hear of people having problems, sometimes we just avoid them. It is not fair to them,” he said.
Charity, he said, should also be given without looking at skin colour or religion.
“We should love and care about one another without looking at race or religion.
“Life is just too short to think about that (race or religion),” he said.