A distraught Loo was in tears when he said this at a press conference held at the Xiao En Centre, Jalan Kuari, here.
“It is very painful. I’m not coping well, it is a tragedy that I have yet to come to terms with.
“But I have been given (the opportunity) ever since Dec 10, that is for a total of 81 days, to be with her by her bedside.
“I did whatever I could, being by her side, including whispering sweet words to her at the end of each day and holding her hand. We know at the end of the day, it (marriage) is in sickness and in health.
“There was a moment I really thought she would recover. But as many days passed, that hope seemed to slowly vanish,” he said.
Loo recalled how he was proud to have been at the checkpoints of all the running events Ang participated in, cheering her on from the sidelines.
“Eve (Evelyn) loves to run, it is her passion. She was always a positive person despite her own sorrows. She never let her sorrows hold her back.
“I have been accused sometimes of being unreal. How do I hold myself up for so long? I ask that question myself.
“But it is because I loved her,” he said about Ang.
He added that there is a saying Ang posted on Facebook, “Live, laugh, love, run and always be grateful for each and every single blessing that comes your way.”
“I will live, I will learn how to cope but if u ask me, I think I’m not ready to let her go. I don’t know how I am going to cope in the coming days.
“She is supposed to be my soulmate. We are supposed to grow old together, that’s what we planned.
“A simple journey, we go places together, we do things together. We enjoy each other’s company, but I do not have my wife anymore,” he said.
He also said it was his sincere hope (and believed it was Ang’s as well) that “this unfortunate set of circumstances will not repeat itself”.
Public safety should always be the number one priority on the road.
“I urge for us to have clearly defined measurable actions that need to be taken,” he said.
Also present at the press conference was close friend and JW Biznet Road Race technical director Julie Wong, who said the youth and sports ministry had yet to address concerns pertaining to Ang’s accident.
“Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin made press statements, some of it we feel were quite defamatory, because he only painted the picture of race directors and race organisers being profit oriented.
“Road running has evolved. It is no longer just a sport, it is an industry.
“Having said that, MAF (Malaysia Athletics Federation) and other athletic bodies have not moved on from sports,” Wong said.
She added that since Dec 10, she along with other race directors had gathered the running community in order to look at how to keep road runners safe during runs.
“Until now we don’t see anything coming from MAF or other athletic bodies’ SOPs for road running.
“There is no client charter or any form of guidelines to guide race directors or organisers.
“Now all road race organisers have to get a permit and are then held to ransom to pay high fees to the Sports Commissioner of Malaysia.
“Only the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Athletics Association (FTKLAA) did a good job but there is still room for improvement,” she said.
She added that these stakeholders had to put their houses in order first.
“They must know what they are supposed to do. The youth and sports ministry has said they will hold a town hall meeting, but we have yet to hear from them.”
Wong said that Ang was not the first runner friend she had lost in the course of a race.
“Ultramarathon runner, Selvaganesh, also passed away last year from a hit-and-run accident.
“I have now lost two precious friends (to road accidents),” she said.
Ang, 44, was one of three marathon runners in the Klang City International Marathon injured in the accident.
On Feb 20, mechanic Teoh Thiam Lim, 28, was charged in the Klang Magistrate’s Court with reckless and dangerous driving that resulted in the runners being hit by his car.
Teoh, who pleaded not guilty, was charged with driving a Proton Iswara in a reckless manner that could endanger others at Batu 2, Jalan Kapar at about 4.30am on Dec 10.
The charge, under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, provides for a maximum jail term of five years and a fine of up to RM15,000 upon conviction.