“In my early 30s, I was in a near-fatal accident, but I was given a second chance at life. Then in December 2022, I suffered an asthma attack and was rushed to the hospital’s A&E department. It was a traumatic experience and I was glad that they managed to rescue me in time,” shares Susie Low, a VIP guide at Universal Studios Singapore (USS).
But the 55-year-old is not letting her two close brushes with death hold her back. “Although I was told to take things easy, that shouldn’t stop me from living my life,” she asserts. “I knew that I would not take any moment for granted as we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Why stop doing what I love and what I want to do?”
One of the major things that Susie loves is her job. As a VIP guide at USS, she takes VIP guests on a five-hour tour around the theme park, where they’ll get an introduction to the attractions, shows and food with fun trivia, alongside other VIP perks.
At 55, she’s the oldest and longest-serving VIP Guide at USS, having worked in the role for more than a decade. Susie also works as a Behind the Panel Guide at the S.E.A. Aquarium, bringing guests on educational behind-the-scenes tours that introduces them to fun facts like how aquarists take care of marine animals.
Prior to her joining USS, Susie was an air stewardess for close to two decades. She was laid off after the September 11 attacks adversely affected her airline’s business, and she then took a career break to look after her young daughter. After six years, she felt restless and found herself applying for a job at USS for the chance to work at a theme park and to apply her service skills.
“I’ve been in the service industry since I was 18 years old and never once have I thought about switching industries. Levelling up the service standard is and will always be my passion. This is how I challenge myself,” she shares.
Why stop doing what I love and what I want to do?
Susie Low
Beyond her role at USS, Susie is continuously smashing the glass ceiling of age. Seeking to improve herself with new opportunities and challenges, the 55-year-old also took up modelling and is a TikTok content creator. “When I hit the big 5-0, I told myself I wanted to try something new, to challenge myself every year,” she says. “I feel that if you have something that you want to do in life, just do it. Why wait? Life for us ‘aunties’ over 50 doesn’t stop there!”
Here, Susie shares with us more about her role as a VIP guide at USS, her first accidental modelling gig, as well as what age means to her.