Singapore actor Nick Teo posted a Mother’s Day tribute to his mother on Instagram on 2026-05-10 and said she raised their three children largely on her own after his father left the family when he was in secondary school. [1, 2]
Teo, 36, wrote that his father “chose to leave this family” while he was still studying in secondary school and thanked his mother for “holding up our world single-handedly.” [1, 2] He said she had been a housewife for more than 20 years before returning to work and took on long hours of physically demanding jobs to support the family. [1, 2]
In the post, Teo said his mother often ate only bread so the children could have better food. [1, 2] He also said she was not often verbally affectionate, but showed care through actions such as preparing meals and telling the children to eat first. [1, 2] Sources on the post differed on one point: one version said she rarely hugged the children, while another said she showed affection through physical touch. [1, 2]
Teo’s wife, actress Hong Ling, commented on the post and thanked her mother-in-law, writing: “Thank you mama for a wonderful son.” [1, 2] Teo and Hong Ling married in December 2023, according to the article, which also said Teo shared a wedding photo of the couple serving tea to his mother. [1]
The post came after a career milestone for Teo. He won his first Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes award at the Star Awards on 2026-04-19. [1]
