TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of National Defense will assist the mother and grandmother of a United States Air Force Academy graduate after they were seriously injured in a traffic accident in the U.S., reports said Friday (June 7).

Hsu Hao-ming (徐皓明) obtained a scholarship for four years of study at the military school in Colorado, per the Liberty Times. His mother and grandmother flew over from Taiwan to attend his graduation last month.

However, on May 25, they were involved in a serious traffic accident in Colorado Springs, which left them paralyzed from the neck down after numerous emergency surgeries, according to a Gofundme campaign.

Taiwan’s Air Force said it had sent a representative to visit Hsu’s relatives in Taiwan and the two injured women. Taiwan offices in the U.S. were helping with insurance and medical issues, while the U.S. Air Force Academy was providing legal assistance.

The cost, procedures, and date for a medical flight to transfer the patients from the U.S. to Taiwan are being evaluated. The extra medical fees are estimated at US$150,000 (NT$4.84 million), per CNA.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) told lawmakers Friday the military would not leave Hsu and his family unable to afford the medical bills.