Dubai: A paralysed patient who had been lying in Rashid Hospital for three months because he was unable to pay his bills was finally flown home to Mumbai on Easter Sunday after a Gulf News report about his plight.
Maxwell Donald Pereira was overjoyed and relieved as the nurses and paramedics put on his special helmet and placed him on a stretcher before he left the hospital.
“Happy Easter,” he said, giving a lopsided smile as he braced himself for the long journey.
Although Maxwell was returning home for good after nearly 46 years in the UAE, he was virtually penniless, although his caregivers informed Gulf News that he had some money saved and was taking back small Easter gifts for his family.
Gulf News published a report on April 9 about the problems being faced by 56-year-old hospitality executive, who was the supervisor at the Namaste and Vegas Clubs at the Holiday Inn in Bur Dubai. Pereira, who has been in Dubai since 1978, suffered a stroke on January 17 that left his left side paralysed. He was taken to Rashid Hospital’s emergency department where surgeons had to remove a bone fragment from his cranium, which now needs to be surgically replaced.
However, despite a health card his bills of Dh100,000 were not covered and his sponsor Roy Pereira was not to be found. However, following the report, Roy Pereira sprung into action, settled the bills and finally sent Maxwell to his home in Marol, Mumbai on April 20.
Feras Murad, the public relations officer of the Holiday Inn in Bur Dubai told Gulf News that they covered Maxwell’s travel bill of nearly Dh40,000 as he needed special handling.
Roy Pereira informed Gulf News that Maxwell reached Mumbai safely and has been admitted to the Seven Hills Hospital, where he will undergo further brain surgery to put back a section of the bone that had been removed to ease the inflammation and pressure.
Maxwell, who was pining for his aged mother Christiane, was overjoyed to be reunited with her and the rest of the family.
