Hugh Harrison, Composer of “Count on Me, Singapore” Injured After Watching NDP Live in Canada

Not sure if you remember what went down during Singapore’s National Day Parade this year (2022) so here’s a slight recap: TikTok star, Nicole Liel, got on NDP’s live television and went viral for thanking HDB for giving her a build-to-order ticket for her upcoming home.

Also, a member of the Red Lions parachute team skidded on the pavement during his landing and fell hard to the ground.

Call it fate or whatever, but shortly after Hugh Harrison watched that live, he got injured too.

Lest you’re not aware, Harrison is the man behind some of Singapore’s most iconic National Day songs like “We are Singapore”, “Stand Up For Singapore” and “Count on Me, Singapore”.

What Happened

Now this legend was going about his day and had just finished putting together a 25kg paramotor on his driveway, which he was planning to use for paragliding later in the day.

Yes, the guy is 71 years old, and he’s going to paraglide in Canada during our National Day while most of us have Laksa Burgers at home instead.

It was Harrison’s first time setting up the paramotor so when he turned it on, he did not expect it to move forward so fast. Before he knew it, his arm was marred by the propeller.

According to TODAYonline, it took a while for Harrison to get to the hospital as his son, who has autism, kept giving the wrong address to emergency services.

His neighbours were the ones who called an ambulance for him after finding him in the hallway trying to stop his bleeding with paper towels.

Thankfully, luck is on Harrison’s side. Apparently, the doctors thought they would have to amputate his arm because of how severe it was, but it turns out that reconstructive surgery is possible. This means that he could potentially regain control in his fingers and arm.

His surgery is scheduled for Thursday (25 August).

Harrison Once Had a Tangle with Another Composer Last Year

Does Harrison’s name sound familiar?

It’s because last year, his name was splashed in various headlines.

Back then, Joseph Conrad Mendoza, an Indian composer, was accused of plagiarising one of Harrison’s songs, “Count on Me, Singapore”.

The Indian defended himself by saying it was all “a coincidence” and that he wrote his song in 1983. Harrison did not stand still and stated his position publicly in his video’s comments section on YouTube.

Mendoza has since withdrawn his claims and backed down, and hence it was a “victory” for Harrison.

Here’s hoping that he’ll be victorious again in his surgery two days later, too.

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Featured Image: Hugh Harrison