HONG KONG : Former Hong Kong actress Gigi Lai’s businessman husband Patrick Ma has reportedly set up a HK$50 million (S$9 million) trust fund to cover the medical and living expenses of his brother-in-law, Stephen Lai.
Stephen, Gigi’s younger brother, was involved in a serious road accident on 30 May 2007 when a cab he was riding in collided with another. He suffered head and back injuries when he was thrown out of his cab by the impact and hit a roadside platform.
He was not wearing his seat belt at the time and did not receive an insurance payout so his sister had to pay his medical bills.
Stephen’s condition has improved though it cost Gigi, 36, her entire savings to send him for three major brain surgeries by top doctors as well as continued treatment for his injuries at the MacLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Hong Kong. She even quit showbiz in October 2008 to care for him.
Conservative estimates of his medical costs so far have put the figure at around HK$10 million (S$1.8 million)
Even before the accident, Gigi had already forked out about HK$1 million (S$181,000) to send her brother overseas to study medicine, at a time where her income was still quite limited. She also helped him set up his own beauty parlor when he returned after graduating.
Gigi had continued to relentlessly seek treatment opportunities for her brother since then.
Ma, 52, sensing his wife’s concern over her brother’s condition, had reportedly set up this trust fund to put her mind at ease.
Media reports say HK$10 million (S$1.8 million) will be drawn from the fund to pay for Stephen’s upcoming treatment in the United States while the rest will be used to reap an annual seven-figure sum in interest, enough to cover Stephen’s expenses for the rest of his days.
Despite all the large sums being thrown around, it would probably be small change to billionaire Patrick Ma, who is the son of Ma Sik-chun, the founder of the Oriental Press Group which publishes the Hong Kong tabloid “Oriental Daily News”.
- CNA/ha
Channel News Asia