A Chinese man in his 60s who had lived in South Korea for nearly 20 years after obtaining permanent residency saved four lives through brain-death organ donation, concluding his life in a country he had made his home.
Kim Yong-gil, 65, donated his lungs, liver and both kidneys at Korea University Guro Hospital on March 5, saving four lives, the Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) said Wednesday.
Kim complained of a headache when he woke on the morning of February 2. Emergency services were called and he was rushed to a hospital, but he tragically never regained consciousness and was declared brain-dead.
According to his family, Kim was born in Changchun, China, in 1960, the fourth of five siblings. He came to South Korea in 2008 and obtained permanent residency, working at restaurants and as a welder. Despite the hardships of daily life, he was a loving husband and devoted father. His family said he was a warm-hearted person who helped neighbors in need and was always the first to step forward, no matter how small the task. He decided to become an organ donor after a close friend who had suffered for years with declining kidney function recently passed away.
His wife, Park In-suk, delivered her final farewell: "Honey, thank you so much for treating me so well during our time together, and I love you. Rest peacefully in heaven, and just as you always did, keep helping those in need up there. Don't be in pain, and live happily."
Lee Sam-yeol, president of KODA, said, "We believe that this miraculous act of saving someone's life will be a force that makes our society healthier and brighter."
