At home, his daughters asked him questions, while a close friend was blamed for leaking his secret to the media.
Worse, his mother, after reading reports, started to blame herself for passing on 'bad genes' to him.
Since he broke the news two weeks ago that he had been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy last September, life has been doubly hard for Chew Chor Meng.
As the new year begins, the actor has one simple request: That the public allows him his personal space.
Chor Meng, 40, said: 'I truly appreciate all the concern, support and well-wishes. But I also hope that people can stop worrying about me.'
The boyish-looking actor said the setback has actually brought a new light to his life.
'I've learnt to feel more positive and I am happier now,' he said, adding: 'The most important thing for me is to be able to carry on with life with a positive outlook.'
For now, his priority is to shield his family members from further duress. After all, if he had a choice, he would have preferred to keep it private.
A close friend, who asked not to be named, told The New Paper that the actor had shared with friends how the news has affected his family - especially his daughters, 6 and 4.
He said: 'Meng's girls are too young to fully understand the seriousness of the whole matter. So naturally, when they saw their photos in the newspapers, they'd ask him more questions.
'He found it heartbreaking to tell them.'
It was these concerns which prompted some entertainment reporters to accede to his request to keep the news under wraps.
Lianhe Wanbao's correspondent, MsChong Yen Ling, who has known Chor Meng for more than 10 years, found out about his condition a day after MediaCorp's Anniversary Gala in November.
She was working on a follow-up story on why some artistes were absent from the show and had called the actor for his comments.
It was then that Chor Meng told her: 'I am sick.'
Ms Chong, 35, recalled: 'After a long pause, he broke down and said he had been diagnosed with an incurable disease.'
She didn't break the news then, as she felt the actor needed time and space.
But television viewers started noticing his limp in Love Blossoms II, now showing on Channel8.
A reluctant Chor Meng realised that the time had come to break the news himself. He told his fellow-worshippers at the Renewal Centre church in Serangoon on 19Dec.
His worries weren't unfounded. Soon after, fans and strangers flocked to the Renewal Centre.
Surge in church
Mrs Christine Tan, 50, who attends the church, said: 'Suddenly, there was a surge in numbers. I had people approaching me and asking if I knew when Chew Chor Meng will be here.'
His family friend said: 'While some are genuinely concerned for him, there were others who were there, sad to say, just to gawk.'
The spotlight on the actor was especially uncomfortable because he is someone who values his privacy very much, said good friend Dennis Chew.
The radio DJ, who was one of the first few friends that Chor Meng called to talk about his illness, said: 'Ah Hiah (big brother) first told me that viewers had commented on his gait which didn't seem quite right.
'At first, we were worrying that he could have suffered a minor stroke without realising it.'
Dennis, who got to know Chor Meng in 1991, added: 'Then, we were already very worried about it.'
The next time the friends spoke, Chor Meng told him about his 'incurable illness'.
Dennis recalled: 'He also asked that I keep the secret to myself. And because Ah Hiah is not someone who'll readily share his private thoughts and feelings, I was very touched.'
While he broke his silence only when Chor Meng went public, Dennis was hurt to learn that some people thought he was the one who alerted the media.
He said: 'He's my very dear brother. Why would I do something like that?'
The pair have been communicating with each other through phone calls and SMS.
Said Dennis: 'I sent Ah Hiah an SMS right after the news broke, wishing him a merry Christmas, and asking him to keep strong and stay happy.'
To his great relief, Chor Meng replied: 'Merry Christmas, Kheng (Dennis' dialect name). Don't worry, I'll take care of myself.'
Dennis said: 'I was especially touched that he even ended it with, 'If you have any problem or need my help, just call me.'
'He had to cope with all the pressures and yet, he cared for us.'
But while Dennis said he knows Chor Meng is handling his condition well, he reiterated the actor's wish that people can give him the space he needs.
Agreeing with Dennis, Chor Meng's family friend also urged everyone to treat the actor normally.
Said the friend: 'I think he'd appreciate it better than if everyone starts casting him pitiful looks. Seriously, it's not like he's into his last days.'
Chor Meng's own take on his condition is simple.
'Why bemoan the fact that I can't run?' he said. 'I may have to slow down a little, but I can still send my girls to school.
'No one knows what will happen in the next eight or 10 years. Maybe I'd have recovered by then?
'I feel blessed that I can still work now, I have wonderful friends and I have a beautiful family.'
This story was first published in The New Paper on Jan 1, 2009
