Family never told Nek Chand he had cancer

CHANDIGARH: Nek Chand succumbed to neck cancer at 12.11am on Friday at PGI, but he was not aware he was suffering from the disease that he was diagnosed with in November last year.
"We did not want him to feel disturbed and go under depression. So, we did not reveal that he had cancer in the last stage," said Anuj Saini, Nek Chand's son. He had been suffering from diabetes as well.
A PGI press release stated that Nek Chand was shifted to the ICU of the hospital on Thursday evening. "He had multi-organ failure in the setting of widespread malignancy (cancer). He was provided all the supportive care. He succumbed to his illness at midnight (12:11am)," the press release said.
According to his friends and relatives, the creator of Rock Garden had been working in his office despite ill-health. "He was not aware about his cancer, but he struggled to fight the pain and other complications due to the disease," said R K Bedi, a close relative of Nek Chand.
Meanwhile, PGI declared a half-day holiday on Friday as a mark of respect for the legendary figure. "We got the orders of the holiday after 9am on Friday the patients were already registered. So, it was a half-day at the hospital," said an official at PGI.
Other public hospitals, including Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and Government Multi-specialty Hospital, Sector 16, also declared a half-day to mourn the death of the Padma Shri.