On Thursday, insurers for the taxi driver who crashed into Mr Lee, leaving him with head and spinal injuries, agreed to bear 75 per cent of the blame for the accident. Insurer NTUC Income made the decision after Wei Kong's father, Mr Lee Swee Chit, sued the cabby who plowed into his son on Jan 2, 2005.

The amount of money that NTUC Income has to pay will be decided later.

Speaking to reporters after the case was settled on Thursday, Mr Lee said he sued the insurance company to ensure his son would be taken care of after he and his wife die.

'I've never hated the taxi driver at all. It's already happened, what's the use?' said the 49-year-old manager at an egineering company.

'I don't want it to drag on. I want to move on with my life.'

Wei Kong, who turns 21 in March, spent six months in hospital. He is now studying fine arts at the Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts.

He exercises every day in the hope of getting in shape.

He plays touch rugby as well as basketball with local primary school students - a far cry from his days on the national U-19 rugby squad.

When he plays basketball, Mr Lee has to tell the children to be careful with his 1.84-m son.

Mr Lee said his once-confident son, who dreamt of being an architect, is now a different person who needs assurance and has slow reflexes.

'Every time I talk about Wei Kong, I have a chill,' he said.

He and his homemaker wife, 48, have a younger daughter.

Neither the cabby nor Wei Kong was in court on Thursday.