Mother’s Day 2021: 5 Personalities Share The Unforgettable Moments With Their Mums They’ll Cherish Forever

One of the relationships that we’ll always treasure in our lives is the one we have with our mothers. From constantly being at our beck and call since we could barely speak to witnessing our proudest moments and being a shoulder to cry on, they’re always there for us when we need them most.

This Mother’s Day, as we honour the women who stood by us through thick and thin (especially during a pandemic and some of the toughest days we’ve seen in the past year), we’re also diving into the relationships of Shweta Sekhon, Alexis SueAnn, Melissa Th’ng, Trisha Kuck and Choo Mei Sze with their mothers to see what they adore most about each other and how they’ve inspired each other to be the women they are today.

Adorned with Pandora’s stunning Mother’s Day collection, each duo is embellished with a mix of classic and contemporary pieces from the much-loved Danish jewellery brand. From the sophisticated ‘Heart O Pendant’ coupled with an array of sparkling charms and ‘Love You Infinity Heart Dangle Charm’ strung onto lustrous bracelets, earrings and necklaces, the collection embodies the love and appreciation these women have for each other and even makes for a perfect choice to gift the queen of your heart on this special occasion!

Shweta Sekhon & Kalwant Sekhon

Shweta has always looked up to her mother, Kalwant, ever since she was a little girl. In fact, thanks to Kalwant’s unwavering attitude and sage advice while taking care of her two daughters single-handedly, Shweta has turned out to be just like her in more ways than one, which we’re sure she’s is thrilled to see!

I don’t think I'd be shaped this way if she wasn’t my mother. I'm very strong and wise for my age because of her. – Shweta Sekhon‍

The admiration goes both ways as Kalwant is equally inspired by Shweta, especially since competing and being crowned Miss Universe Malaysia in 2019. Having gone through a “rollercoaster ride” at the time, Shweta’s strong-willed spirit and dedication in overcoming all the challenges she faced showed Kalwant that if you never give up on yourself, you can succeed and that’s what life is all about!

What’s an unforgettable moment you’ll cherish with each other forever?

Shweta: “Whenever I’m sick or really broken and need to break down and cry, I’ll just go to my mum and ask her, ‘Mummy, can you take my pain away?’ or ‘Can you take my fever?’ and she’d tell me, ‘Okay, give it to me.’ Even recently, when I had a very bad moment where I just broke down, I went to her and said, ‘Mummy, it’s very painful’, she said, ‘Ok, give me your pain’ and we’d just hug. After that, I don’t know how but I’d just feel better. I don’t know if it’s the mindset but I feel good knowing that she’s willing to take my pain away. No one can do it but my mum.”‍

Kalwant: “An unforgettable moment will surely be the first time I carried her in my arms. When I saw this baby girl smiling at me, I didn’t know then that she was going to be the queen of the universe and the queen of my heart. I was surprised and so grateful to the Lord that He gave me a beautiful child and am still grateful to Him because He is doing wonders in her life and in mine.”‍

Alexis SueAnn & Doreen Wan

Growing up, reigning Miss World Malaysia 2019, Alexis had always looked up to her single mother, Doreen, who, with so much strength and valour, proved that anything can be achieved if you set your mind to it. Being both the mother and father figure in Alexis’ life and at the same time juggling a career, Doreen became the epitome of women empowerment in her daughter’s eyes, which Alexis is truly proud of.

Ever since I was a young girl, she has always told me that nothing is impossible and whatever you want to do in life, do it with 100% effort and determination and you'll achieve it no matter what. – Alexis SueAnn

One of the traits that Alexis loves about her mum is how unshakable she is. As much as Alexis is open-minded about people’s opinions, seeing her mum’s boldness and perseverance has taught her how to be her own person and stand her ground when anyone tried to put her down. As for Doreen, she loves the fact that Alexis isn’t only capable of achieving her goals with her unyielding persona but also very talented and creative in her vocabulary and writing skills – something even we didn’t know about!

What’s an unforgettable moment you’ll cherish with each other forever?

Alexis: “There are many unforgettable moments that I've had with my mum over the past few years but I think the most recent one that I don't think I’ll ever forget is the day I won Miss World Malaysia. That was the day I was on stage. When they called up my name, I looked straight to my mum and her arms were up in the air – you can see how proud she was. So I think that was one of the most memorable days that I've had with her.”‍

Doreen: “The most unforgettable moment would definitely be when Alexis and I reached the peak of Mount Kinabalu together for the ‘Climb for Hope’ expedition – she was the youngest and I was the oldest in our group which also included my best friend and her son. In doing so, we actually raised up to RM50,000 for the National Cancer Society, so that was definitely a feat for all of us!”

Trisha Kuck & Molly Ong

The love between Trisha and her mum, Molly, is unbreakable and it really shows. Since arriving on the set of our photoshoot, it was obvious that Trisha deeply cared for her mother, which Molly truly appreciates. As Trisha’s strongest ‘pillar of support’ who’s always there to encourage her in everything that she does, Molly herself is inspired by Trisha’s achievements and her determination to get things done.

The best thing about my mum is that she's always very supportive of what I'm doing and she's the strongest pillar of support that I have. – Trisha Kuck

While the duo is both passionate and emotional, Trisha’s vivacity is actually the opposite of Molly’s soft-spoken and demure personality. However, it was clear from our time together at the photoshoot that Trisha brings out the best in Molly and vice versa because all that was needed was a subtle exchange of smiles between the two to show off their bond more than words could ever say.

What’s an unforgettable moment you’ll cherish with each other forever?

Trisha: “The moments that I cherish with my mum are the times when she’ll sit by my side while I'm doing my makeup and we'll be gossiping about everything under the sun!”‍

Molly: “It was our trip to Nepal together. Not only was it our first hiking trip but it was a very dangerous one too. It was so scary for both of us!”‍

Melissa Th’ng & Alice Th’ng

What most of us don’t know about Melissa is that apart from emceeing and hosting radio shows, she’s actually great at sports – just like her mother, Alice, who happens to be a tennis coach! Inheriting her mom’s athletic genes has not only won her a bunch of medals but also given her a fighting spirit despite coming face to face with obstacles, which is something that Alice loves about her.

Watching my mom is always so inspiring because seeing her be so independent and getting to do everything lets me know that I can do it too. If she can, so can I! – Melissa Th’ng‍

Describing her mother as hardworking, genuine and firm at times, Melissa reckons that she’s also a positive role model in her life as she’s inspired by how independent and capable her mum is, letting her know that whatever her mother can do, she can do it too! Knowing how much effort her mother puts into her family, Melissa loves that she has a big heart and appreciates how self-sacrificial she is when it comes to her loved ones.

What’s an unforgettable moment you’ll cherish with each other forever?

Melissa: “To be honest, today's shoot is really unforgettable because she gets to step into my world and experience what I do for a living, and that’s pretty special! I'm really glad that she agreed to this because she's super shy – I had to nudge her a little bit but I'm really appreciative that she’s stepping out of her comfort zone to do this with me.”‍

Alice: “When she was about eight to nine years old, we would sometimes place our mats [outside] and lie down, eat her favourite chips and start counting the stars together. Oh, that moment! We had such a great time bonding and it was such a special moment. It was so wonderful and I will cherish it forever.”

Choo Mei Sze & Seow Lee Chong

Despite Lee Chong aka LC’s demure appearance, she’s actually one strong woman inside, which her daughter Mei Sze takes ultimate pride in. Having seen her daughter go through and recover from cancer at such a young age, LC has always kept her head high to care for Mei Sze even when she was at her weakest.

My mom inspires me to be a better person, to challenge myself and always think positively. Although she doesn't realise it, in a way that has inspired my positivity towards life. – Choo Mei Sze‍

While it’s never easy to see your child going through one of the most painful experiences of her life, LC’s super proud and motivated by how Mei Sze overcame her darkest days and bounced back to be the strong and positive achiever that she has always been! However, what LC may not know is that she is actually the source of inspiration for Mei Sze to always challenge herself and have a brighter outlook on life.

What’s an unforgettable moment you’ll cherish with each other forever?‍

Mei Sze: “It was when she’d sleep with me in the hospital when I was having the big C because I was really afraid to stay in the hospital alone. I was going in and out of consciousness at the beginning but my then-boyfriend (who’s my husband now) and my mum stayed with me and I spent a lot of time with them. Although I wasn't able to talk much, that was one of the moments I’ll always cherish because they really, really went through tough times with me.”‍

LC: “With Mei Sze, I cherish the moments when I visited her in Hawaii and we spent a lot of time together. It was then that I really connected with her.”

Watch the full video below:

Pandora’s Mother’s Day collection is now out in store andonline.

Photography: Tan Guo Xiang
Art direction: Zariel Zahann
Assisted by: Lester Liang
Styling: Rachel Dulis
Assisted by: Katherine Thivya
Coordination: Angela De Souza & Rachel Dulis
Assisted by: Alison Tan
Makeup & hair: Kenny Yee, Moon Tio, Tyra Zainal & Diana Mozhanova/Makeup Miracle
Outfits: Bershka, H&M, Love, Bonito, Marks & Spencer, Niko & Clare & Zara
Footwear: Charles & Keith
Jewellery: Pandora
Flowers & set design: WH Floral