Legacy of love powers family’s academic achievements abroad

To many, Dato’ Dr Stephen Tock Min Kin is a figure of wisdom, recently celebrated online for raising four children who graduated from some of the most prestigious universities in the UK. But few know the emotional and financial toll behind the success of Christopher (Imperial College London), Sandra (London School of Economics), Samantha (University College London), and Carol (Imperial College London).

Behind the polished graduation photos was a father who once made a promise he never expected would be fulfilled. “When my son received his offer letter from Imperial College London. I had set him a difficult challenge — to pursue a double degree — and told him that only if he succeeded would I consider sending him to study in London,” he recalled. “We were going through one of our toughest financial periods. Yet I knew I had to keep my word.”

That meant selling the family home, taking out a new mortgage, and enduring warnings from friends who thought he was being reckless. “But to me, a father’s word is sacred,” he said. “I knew if I broke it, I would break his spirit.”

Dr Tock’s sacrifices weren’t limited to property and pride. He dipped into retirement savings, borrowed money from friends, and avoided any semblance of luxury. “No fancy dinners. No new clothes unless absolutely necessary. Every cent was accounted for and redirected toward their education fund. While others were upgrading cars, I was still driving one over 20 years old. But to me, it was worth it — because while I was stuck in traffic back home, my children were riding the London Underground on student passes, chasing their futures.”

Silent strength, unspoken sacrifices

“I coped by staying silent — not out of weakness, but out of discipline. I didn’t want my children or even my wife to carry the stress I carried,” said Dr Tock. “My secret was love — pure and simple. When you truly love your children, you’ll carry a mountain without showing the strain.”

For his children, the emotional impact of their father’s quiet endurance only became clear later in life. “I remember my father calling us during our final exams, telling us, ‘Don’t worry about the money. Just focus and do your best.’ At the time, we had no idea what he was going through financially. He never showed it, never let it affect us. Only later did we realise the truth”.

While Dr Tock bore the financial burden, Datin Anna Liew anchored the family emotionally. She was the steady foundation who kept the home warm, maintained their spirits, and never let the children feel the weight of the distance.

With her children living abroad, Datin Anna quietly endured her own share of sacrifices—celebrating birthdays alone, managing the home singlehandedly, and offering emotional support across time zones when academic stress and homesickness took their toll.

Values that outlive achievements

To Dr Tock and Datin Anna, education was never merely about earning diplomas or attending prestigious universities—it was about nurturing character. They emphasised values such as discipline, humility, and gratitude, believing that true success lay not in accolades, but in how their children carried themselves and treated others.

The children, now thriving professionals, say what they admire most is their father’s quiet endurance. “He never complained, never asked for anything in return. He carried the weight of our dreams on his shoulders without ever making us feel it.” they shared.

Looking back, Dr Tock’s proudest moment wasn’t any graduation ceremony. It was the quiet night he realised all four children had made it abroad. “All four of them made it. They were in London, studying at world-class institutions. No fanfare. No applause. Just quiet fulfilment. That silent moment, with no one else watching, was my personal victory.”

As we celebrate Father’s and Mother’s Day this year, the story of Dato’ Dr Stephen Tock and Datin Anna Liew reminds us that true legacy is not built on accolades, but etched in quiet sacrifices made without applause—and in every child raised with love, resilience, and values that endure for generations.