Actor Thomas Ong fractures ankle during solo Japan holiday, drives himself to hospital despite pain
The 57-year-old actor, who also lost his wallet and dropped his mobile phone into water during the trip, joked that his souvenirs from Japan this time were a pair of crutches.
Actor Thomas Ong had to cut his Japan holiday short after fracturing his ankle. (Photos: Facebook/thomasong)
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What was supposed to be a 45-day solo adventure in Japan turned into quite the eventful trip for Singaporean actor Thomas Ong.
The 57-year-old, who set off on a self-drive holiday in Japan last month, had to cut his trip short after fracturing his right ankle on Oct 25, just over 10 days into his holiday.
Ong had planned to explore the remote mountainous regions of Honshu, spending his days chasing waterfalls. His travels took him to places such as Kashiwazaki in Niigata Prefecture, Fukuroda Falls and Otsujigataki Falls.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, Ong slipped on a flight of wet stone steps after photographing a waterfall. He had earlier shared that Urami Taki was the last waterfall he photographed before his trip was cut short.
It had been drizzling that day. “At first, I thought it was just a sprain. I didn’t expect the injury to be more serious than I thought,” he said.
Despite the pain, Ong managed to drive himself to a local hospital, where an X-ray revealed that he had fractured his right ankle.
In a Facebook post on Sunday (Nov 1), Ong revealed that he was given two treatment options: undergo surgery to insert a metal plate to stabilise the fracture, which would allow him to move around more freely after about two weeks, or let the bone heal naturally. Either way, he was told recovery would take around six weeks.
Ong eventually decided against surgery and a cast, opting instead to let the bone heal on its own. He has since returned to Singapore and, as he lives alone, is temporarily staying with family while recovering.
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, the actor found a silver lining. He explained that he is scheduled to leave for Europe on Dec 7 to lead a tour group – exactly six weeks after his injury.
“If this accident had happened two weeks later, I might not have been able to make it for my Europe tour in December,” he wrote.
Instead of feeling unlucky, Ong said he felt a sense of gratitude.
He also shared photos of himself on crutches, including one of him in a wheelchair at what appears to be an airport. “The souvenirs I’m bringing home from Japan this time? A pair of crutches,” he joked.
But even before the fracture, Ong’s Japan adventure had already been plagued by mishaps.
In an earlier Facebook post on Oct 21, the actor shared that he had lost his wallet on the second day of his trip. It contained Japanese yen and a bank card.
Thankfully, he had kept some spare cash and another bank card separately, so he wasn’t completely stranded. He did, however, have to tighten his travel budget.
Then, while photographing a waterfall, Ong accidentally dropped his iPhone into the water.
Thankfully, the phone itself was fine, though its SIM card was damaged and he had to switch to an eSIM.
Still, Ong wasn’t about to let those setbacks ruin his holiday. “At least I can still walk and my phone is still working. Let’s move on!” he wrote at the time.
Little did he know that just a few days later, he would suffer an injury that would bring his adventure to an abrupt end.
Despite spending only slightly more than 10 days in Japan, Ong said he had no regrets.
He had managed to take in plenty of beautiful scenery, from mountains and waterfalls to hot springs, and indulge in local delicacies.
“Just because something unpleasant happened at the end doesn’t mean all the wonderful experiences I’ve had are erased,” he reflected.
For now, Ong plans to rest, binge-watch dramas and let his ankle heal. “Hitting the pause button on my Japan adventure,” he wrote on Instagram. “Japan, see you next year. We’ll pick up where we left off!”
This story was originally published in 8days.
For more 8days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/.
Source: CNA/bk
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