Taiwan Tesla Accident Update: Celebrity Pro Car Racer Jimmy Lin Leaves Hospital Following Facial Reconstruction Surgery

Jimmy Lin Chih-ying, a Taiwanese singer, actor and race car driver is pictured in this file photo with one of his favourite race cars. (Huang Tsung-mao/The Epoch Times)

Taiwanese artist and celebrity Jimmy Lin Chih-ying was involved in a self-induced car crash while driving a Tesla on July 22. His post-crash injury condition continued to attract attention from the public. The latest news is that he has been discharged from the hospital and returned home to recuperate. Chen Chien-tzung, director of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou, briefed us on Lin’s latest situation. During the briefing, he strenuously refuted some of the Hong Kong media’s recent reports that Lin Chih-ying “needs to be fed with a nasogastric tube.”

Jimmy Lin had a fiery car accident in Taoyuan a month ago when his car caught on fire. Lin and his son were trapped inside and were lucky to be rescued in time by passers-by. However, Lin was seriously injured. In addition to the facial fracture, he also suffered a comminuted fracture of the humerus on the shoulder and a slight concussion. Recently, some Hong Kong media reported that although Lin underwent facial reconstruction surgery, his postoperative condition was poor, and he still needed to use a nasogastric tube.

In response, Chen Chien-tzung, an authority on facial fracture reconstruction and the director of Chang Gung Hospital in Linkou, who performed facial reconstruction surgery for Lin, pointed out in an interview with “SET News Channel (SETN)” on Aug. 23 that the Hong Kong media’s report “was a pure rumour.” He emphasized that Lin “has never used a nasogastric tube while in hospital. I don’t know from where the Hong Kong media got that.” He also revealed that Lin recovered well after the operation, and “can eat and drink by himself, and now had returned home to recuperate.”

Regarding Lin’s latest situation, MiGi Studio, Lin’s management company, responded, “The patient (Lin) is recuperating.” And in response to relevant reports, it added, “Please don’t make news out of nothing and spread rumours around these days. If there is any update, I will notify you again, thank you all for your concern.”

Regarding the progress of Lin’s physical recovery, his younger brother Lin Zhi-xin stated at the press conference held in the hospital on July 25 that because he had no intention of wasting everybody’s time on it, that was the last time he will provide the latest update to the public.

However, ultra-scrupulous netizens were able to spot that there were traces of Lin quietly appearing in his Weibo fan group “Weibo Super Talk” on the 19th day after being admitted to hospital on Aug. 7. Since then, he went online from time to time in the following days allowing his fans to pick up the screenshots and the like. Some people interpreted that as one way Lin reported his safety in a low-key yet solemn manner, to make his fans feel relieved.

Lin’ wife, Kelly Chen Ruo-yi, uploaded one photo on IG for a limited time on Aug. 16. In the photo, one person’s hand (supposed to be that of Kimi, their eldest son) is clasping the hand of another person lying on the bed, and that other’s arm is covered with gauze (supposed to be Lin Chih-ying’s). Chen captioned the photo with “After venturing through the wind and rain, you will eventually see the light of day,” which not only served as an encouragement to Lin Chih-ying himself but also seemed to imply that Lin’s condition was gradually improving.