TV host Lee Teng opens up about wife's miscarriage during pandemic: ‘I never got the chance to hold or touch him'

Entertainment

The Taiwan-born Singaporean host flew to Taiwan immediately after receiving the devastating news to be with his wife, but had to complete quarantine before he could see her.

New: You can now listen to articles.

This audio is generated by an AI tool.

15 Jul 2026 10:19AM

(Updated: 15 Jul 2026 10:30AM)

Losing a child is the kind of pain a parent never forgets. Even six years later, Lee Teng still remembers the loss of his baby like it just happened yesterday.

The 42-year-old Taiwan-born Singaporean host and his Taiwanese wife, Gina Lin, 33, recalled what they described as the greatest heartbreak of their lives in the first episode of the Mediacorp documentary, Tuesday Report: Gone Before Goodbye.

Back in 2020, Lin was seven months pregnant when their baby was stillborn.

Six years on, Lee Teng explained in a Zaobao.sg interview that they only decided to accept the programme's interview because his wife finally felt ready to revisit that painful chapter. Lee Teng and Lin welcomed their son, Ellison, last July. He turned one earlier this month.

"I've always been open to sharing our story. The most important thing was whether my wife was willing," he said.

The couple had been invited on multiple occasions over the years to share their story, but they were still healing and did not feel they had the emotional strength to comfort others.

Now, however, Gina Lin felt the time was right to speak about their experience, hoping that by sharing their journey through grief, they could offer strength and comfort to other families who have also lost a child.

Recalling what happened in 2020, Lee Teng said the events remain vividly etched in his memory.

As the pregnancy took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lin returned to her hometown in Taiwan to give birth so that her family could help care for her.

Lee Teng, who was still working in Singapore, was set to fly to Taiwan a month later to be with her for the delivery.

However, while he was filming a programme, he received a message from his wife telling him that their baby's heart had stopped beating.

"I was completely shocked. I felt like an empty shell, but I still finished filming that day. Looking back now, I honestly don't know how I managed to get through it," he recalled.

Strict cross-border restrictions were also in place at the time, meaning Lee Teng had to undergo a mandatory two-week quarantine upon arriving in Taiwan before he could see his wife.

"I could only see my baby one last time through a video call. That's something I'll always regret because I never got the chance to hold or touch him in person."

After arriving in Taiwan, Lee Teng put his career on hold for three months to stay by his wife's side and support her through her grief.

"I missed out on some work opportunities, but I don't regret it at all. A wound like this doesn't heal overnight. Only time can slowly ease the pain," he said.

Lee Teng, who described himself as an optimistic person, said he focused all his energy on caring for his wife's physical and emotional well-being during that period.

He encouraged her to recover and held on to the belief that the child meant for them would one day come into their lives.

The couple welcomed Ellison in July 2025. Looking back on everything they had been through, Lee Teng said it still feels surreal.

"When I saw our baby for the first time, it felt almost unreal. Now, every day I spend with him is something I treasure deeply," he said.

He added that while caring for a baby is exhausting, it is the kind of exhaustion he happily embraces. He is also thoroughly enjoying fatherhood and cherishing every day with his son.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/

Source: 8 Days/hq