As She Said She Wanted to Save Someone... A Woman in Her 70s Gifts New Life and Ascends to Heaven

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An Myeong-ok, who saved lives through brain-dead organ donation. Provided by Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency

A woman in her 70s who had always said she wanted to "save someone and then leave" was diagnosed as brain dead and passed away after giving the gift of new life to one person through organ donation.

According to the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency on the 27th, An Myeong-ok (70) lost consciousness and collapsed on July 1st. While receiving treatment at the hospital, she was finally diagnosed as presumed brain dead on the 13th of last month. With her family's consent, An donated her liver.

It is known that An had registered as an organ donor in 2021, telling her family that she wanted to "practice the beautiful act of saving someone at the end of her life and then leave." Her family said, "We decided to donate to fulfill that promise," and added, "We are grateful to be able to keep her words that she wanted to do a good deed before leaving."

The deceased was born as the eldest of eight siblings in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk. She was introverted and quiet, always sincere when dealing with people. In her younger days, she worked as a seamstress, and until recently, she worked cleaning buildings, always feeling a sense of fulfillment in being able to contribute to society and work diligently. Even when she was ill, she never visited a hospital and was always active without rest, putting others before herself and caring warmly for her family.

An’s son, Song Jin-yong, tearfully said, “My mother loved, cherished, and cared for our family more than anyone else. It is even more regrettable and heartbreaking that she endured hardships and left us.” Lee Sam-yeol, the director of the donation agency, stated, “This beautiful love has become a miracle that saves someone’s life. The donation agency will do its best to help more lives become healthy.”