“I didn’t know how to go on”: She was left with two young children after her husband died saving a drowning man

“Adele, there’s been an accident.”

It was Saturday, November 2, 2013.

Malaysian Adele Cheah was at home with her two children – Zoe, 4, and Lukas, just 10 months old.

Earlier that morning, her husband, Kevin Tan, had left with his business partner, Amos, to bring several Singaporean clients to a waterfall near Bentong, Selangor. The two ran an outdoor adventure company, organising excursions for tourists to local destinations.

When her phone rang, Adele answered with a cheery hello. But as the person on the other end of the line spoke, Adele felt her world grind to a halt.

“There has been an incident at the upper falls. Kevin jumped into the water to rescue one of the clients. He managed to push the client to safety, but then he went under.”

The last photo of Kevin taken underwater. At 42, he drowned after rescuing a struggling swimmer at a waterfall.

Amos, who had been at the lower falls, had immediately dived in and pulled Kevin from the water. But Kevin was unresponsive, Adele recalled, her eyes welling up.

“Amos and another client took turns performing CPR on him. They did it for almost three hours while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.”

On the way to Bentong Hospital, Adele prayed desperately: “Lord, please spare Kevin’s life. Please, Lord. Please don’t take him.”

But then she received the news: Kevin had gone back to Jesus.

He was 42.

A cherished family photo.

“In that moment, my whole world came crashing down,” said Adele, now 49.

“I was terrified. I had lost my best friend. The children were so young. I didn’t know how I was going to go on.”

Falling in love

Adele and Kevin had met at an adventure race in 2002. He was a graphic designer; she had just started an events company with friends.

They bonded quickly over a shared love for the outdoors – kayaking, rock climbing and mountain biking.

Kevin and Adele met at an adventure race and bonded over a love for nature and the outdoors.

At the time, Adele had all but given up on love. She had dated widely over the years, only to be disappointed. Her last relationship had ended in heartbreak after her then-boyfriend cheated on her.

Through Kevin, Adele began to see what real love could look like. He was kind, generous, a little whacky and, like her, happiest when he was outdoors.

Years earlier, Kevin had sensed God prompting him to write down a list of what he hoped for in a wife. He had one criterion: She had to be a triathlete.

Adele ticked the box.

“We became friends in October 2002. Six months later, he proposed after a futsal game. He dug around in his bag for a key ring and proposed with that! After proposing, he jetted off to Australia for a YWAM Discipleship Training School and was gone for six months,” Adele recalled with a laugh.

“That was Kevin.”

Paradoxically, the months apart became a defining season for their relationship. It was during that time that their love was anchored, both in Christ and in each other.

A man who gave freely and loved generously, Kevin relished being a father to Zoe and Lukas.

Though she had strayed from her faith, Adele found herself drawn back to the God of her youth – the same God whom Kevin loved wholeheartedly.

“I wanted to know the God who could inspire a man like that – fearless, compassionate and so generous. Whether it was his treasured football boots or his money, Kevin gave freely,” she said.

They married in 2004. Their careers flourished, and they also became cell leaders at church. When Zoe and Lukas came along, life felt complete.

Grieving with God

With Kevin’s sudden passing, Adele had to learn overnight how to live as a widow and mother of two young children.

For months, her eyes were swollen from constant tears. Every milestone, every celebration, was edged with grief.

“Christmas, anniversaries, birthdays – those were the hardest,” she said. “Everything reminded me of Kevin. Pendrives. Random objects left on the dining table.”

Kevin with Zoe.

In the depths of her sorrow, Adele came to a sobering realisation: Time does not heal. It may dull the pain, but only God can truly restore what is broken.

“I learned that I had to grieve with God. He was the only one who could hold all of it – my anger, my pain, my questions,” she said softly.

She bears no bitterness toward anyone involved. After the tragedy, the client Kevin had rescued and his family apologised to her and to Kevin’s parents.

“We told them it wasn’t their fault,” Adele said. “That was Kevin. He chose to save a life. Given the chance, he would have done it again.”

A Saviour who walks with us

Reflecting on that pain-soaked season, Adele is deeply grateful for Jesus.

In the early days after Kevin’s passing, God surrounded her with a compassionate community of grief counsellors, friends, cell members, and a family who carried her when she could barely stand.

God sent a small circle of dear, faithful friends who gave Adele practical and emotional support during her time of loss.

In time, He proved to be her Provider. Doors opened for her emceeing career to take flight, offering flexible hours that allowed her to be present for her children. “I’ve never had to look for gigs. The calls just come,” she said.

God opened doors for Adele to build a career as an outdoor events emcee, and never once has she had to look for gigs.

God has also journeyed with her as a Father to her children, now 17 and 13.

“I’ve experienced His faithfulness. I knew He was good – that was my ground zero. Father of the fatherless, defender of widows … all of God’s names have become deeply personal to me,” she shared.

She also honours her parents. “Throughout my life, and especially through the painful journey of overwhelming grief and loss, they have been nothing but loving and supportive of me. I am so grateful to the Lord for them.”

Adele with her parents and brother, who walked beside her in her grief.

In 2022, Adele stepped into a new season of service, accepting a role as a lay pastor at her church. Today, she walks closely with young families and those navigating the loss of loved ones.

“People grieve differently, and in their own time. Grief comes in waves. There are days you feel completely okay, and then suddenly, you break down,” she said.

For Adele, Zephaniah 3:17 is the embodiment of God’s character.  “He is a God who has been with me, a Mighty Warrior who saved me. I can feel His delight, love and rejoicing over my life,” she shared.

A kinsman redeemer

It has been 13 years since Kevin’s passing. Over time, Adele has found herself yearning for companionship, for a partner to walk with her through life’s quieter, in-between moments.

“I used to ask God, ‘Is there really nobody?’” she said candidly. “But I didn’t want to find someone on my own. I knew it had to come from God – especially for my children’s sake.”

“I am thankful for where He has brought me to, for my children and the people He has surrounded me with. I truly feel loved and favoured by God,” said Adele, 13 years after she was widowed.

In 2018, someone blessed her with a trip to Israel. It was a turning point.

“During the trip, God gave me the phrase ‘kinsman redeemer’ and led me back to the book of Ruth,” she recalled.

“I sensed Him saying, ‘I have been faithful to you. Will you be faithful to Me? Just write down what you want in a future husband – the list again,” she added with a grin.

Today, that precious list is tucked away in her journal.

There has been no more pining for a partner. Instead, she is focused on the tasks God has set before her, trusting that in due time, He will fulfil His promise.

Adele with Zoe and Lukas, now both in the teens, during Chinese New Year in 2025.

Her eyes glisten again, and a smile breaks forth as she considers life today.

“I am thankful for where He has brought me to, for my children and the people He has surrounded me with. I truly feel loved and favoured by God,” she said.

And for now, that is enough.

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