Paris Hilton "saved" the life of a fan by giving him $5,000.

The hotel heiress sent the cash to muscular dystrophy sufferer Mike Oliveri, who struggles to afford his healthcare bills, after they struck up a bond when they met at a Los Angeles nightclub earlier this month.

Following the gesture, Mike posted a video on his personal website thanking the 'Simple Life' star for "saving" his life.

In the clip, he says: "I met her about a week-and-a-half ago ... I just thought she was a very sweet person ... We became friends and ... she just sent me $5,000 and saved my life, literally.

"Paris, the magnitude of appreciation I have for what you did, you didn't have to do that. Just our friendship alone is worth more than you could ever imagine."

Mike goes on to describe the heiress as an "angel" and admits his is grateful to be able to discuss his problems with the 31-year-old star.

He continued: "Having somebody to talk to everyday, and somebody that understands, and somebody that cares, I really appreciate what you did and I hope the whole world understands what an amazing person you are.

"Words cannot express how I feel. I just want to say, Paris, I love you, thank you so much."

Last month, Paris helped grant a wish for a seriously ill child, Oran, who is confined to a wheelchair, by spending time chatting to the six-year-old youngster and introducing him to her pets.