A former member of the Malaysian 1990s hip hop group Nico G, Dino, suffered a stroke the day after he ate seven kampung durians in one go. One month later, the entire right side of his body is still paralysed, and he is unable to work. His life has since taken a turn for the worse.
According to Sin Chew Daily, 50-year-old Dino had a stroke about a month ago. The right side of his body is paralysed, making it difficult for him to move and impossible to work. With no income since the stroke, he is now seeking help, reported 8World.
Ate 7 kampung durians at one go
Dino admitted that his stroke might be related to his eating habits. Just one day before the stroke, he had a durian feast and ate seven kampung durians. The next day, he collapsed at work during a stroke episode.
He said, “Durian is my favourite. Every durian season, I must eat it to satisfy my cravings. I can’t rule out that the durians caused the stroke, but it could also have been another sweet food.”
Because he had eaten so many durians the day before, he still had the durian smell in his mouth when speaking to the doctor after being sent to the hospital.
Besides being a durian lover, Dino also admitted that he has been a heavy smoker since his younger days.
Now goes for checkups twice a week
Dino said he now visits Kuala Lumpur Hospital twice a week for checkups. He is also undergoing traditional treatments, with each rehabilitation massage session costing RM200 (around SGD60).
“After my stroke, I couldn’t continue working as a salesperson in a shopping mall. Thankfully, my employer allowed me to take leave until I recover and even gave me RM500 (around SGD151) as a token of support,” he said.
Dino is currently staying with his relatives. He said he has had no income for the past month and is facing financial hardship, so he has reached out to the government for help.
In response, Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications said it is actively providing support to former entertainers who are facing health challenges.
The Ministry, together with the National Film Development Corporation and several other agencies, has already helped 61 entertainers through special assistance schemes from early 2024 until July 31 this year.
