Heart attack survivor ditches cigarettes for cycling

At 41, Mr Haris Abdullah was a heavy smoker and did not give his diet any thought – until a heart attack gave him the jolt he needed.

The incident served as a wake-up call, forcing him to re-evaluate his lifestyle. 

Now, at 51, not only has the father of one quit smoking, but he has also embraced an active lifestyle, clocking thousands of kilometres cycling across borders. 

His latest feat saw him cycle from Switzerland to Amsterdam, a 2,400km journey spanning 42 days between May and July.

Mr Haris' solo adventure took him across France, Austria, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. 

He didn't rely on a fancy bicycle but used a simple, self-modified $300 bike, proudly adorned with a miniature Singapore flag.

"I do this not to show off but because I want to see the world through a different lens," he told Berita Harian. "I also want to make a name for myself overseas as a Singaporean."

Mr Haris' journey into cycling began in April 2014, a week after his heart attack.

"I was a heavy smoker, and I didn't care about what I ate," he said, adding that he asked the doctor if he could still smoke after he had a stent inserted. 

"He said: 'Do you know how your wife tried to save you? If you don't care about yourself, fine, but don't cause trouble for others."

A year later, to celebrate his birthday, Mr Haris cycled 250km from Singapore to Malacca in a single day. 

The following year, he embarked on a five-day journey to Penang and back to Singapore, covering 1,750km in total.

In September that year, he cycled for 11 days, completing a journey around Taiwan and braving Typhoon Megi on his final day there.

In 2019, he cycled from Vietnam to Singapore over 29 days, covering 3,200km. 

Mr Haris then decided to push his limits and ventured outside South-east Asia in 2022, cycling for 48 days across Norway and covering 2,100km.

"I travel like a survivor," he said.

"On my first day of cycling, I slept under a highway bridge in freezing temperatures, about -5 deg C," he shared, admitting that he lacked proper equipment with only a small tent and a thin sleeping bag.

However, the kindness of locals he met along the way allowed him to acquire appropriate gear and provided him with warmth and friendship.

His Norwegian journey was fraught with challenges, including steep mountain climbs but the experiences taught him resilience and determination, pushing him to further his cycling adventures to the recent Switzerland-to-Amsterdam ride.

Mr Haris, a tram driver at Sentosa, accumulates his annual leave and rest days for the long cycling expeditions.

When asked about his training, he explained that he cycles from his home in Ang Mo Kio to his workplace almost daily. 

"I purposely cycle through Mount Faber on my way to Sentosa, covering around 40km daily, carrying a 50kg load – similar to what I carry overseas," he said.

His message is clear: "I want to raise awareness that even if we have chronic illnesses, we should not see ourselves as useless or incapable of doing such activities.

"As a tram driver, I want to stay healthy, I don't want another heart attack while driving passengers."

He added that his goal in life now is to stay healthy and keep moving forward. He also hopes to inspire others with chronic conditions to take care of their health.