Sometimes hard work really does pay off. After more than 20 years of service, a Filipina maid in Singapore has inherited $4 million from her late employer. Using the pseudonym “Christine,” the 47-year old insisted on remaining unnamed for fear that her newfound wealth could attract the attention of kidnappers and other money-hungry evildoers. The inheritance from her late employer, Dr. Quek Kai Miew, included cash and a swanky apartment near Singapore’s downtown shopping district.
“It was heartbreaking for me as I saw more years with Dr. Quek than with my own mother,” “Christine” said. “I am the luckiest maid in Singapore, with or without the money.”
In the US, having a maid is a sign of wealth and luxury. But in Asia — particularly in cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong where it’s common for both parents to work — it’s typical for families to have live-in maids who take care of the kids. Since I moved to the US, I often shy away from telling people that I grew up with a maid because I don’t want people to think I grew up as some kind of rich, spoiled brat. But for me, growing up with a maid was like having a nanny whom I was super close with. And even though she doesn’t work for us anymore, our maid who raised me since I was a little kid remains a big part of my childhood — I still stay in touch with her now. Maybe it seems kind of crazy to most people, but I totally understand why “Christine” ended up with with four million bucks!
