Ayoung, Who Gifted New Life to Four Peers... Heart Transplant Attending Physician: "I Will Care So It Can Beat for a Long Time"

'Ayoung Incident' Victim Child Passes Away in June
"Want to Give Meaning to Her Life" Organ Donation
Heart Transplant Recipient's Doctor Sends Thank You Letter

Jung Ah-young, who became unconscious after injuring her head in the neonatal intensive care unit just five days after birth, passed away in June after giving the gift of new life to four people through organ donation. Recently, the attending physician of the child who received Ah-young’s heart sent a letter of gratitude to Ah-young’s parents, bringing a quiet wave of emotion.

According to the Hankook Ilbo on the 31st, Dr. A, the attending physician of the child who received Ah-young’s heart, recently delivered a letter to Ah-young’s parents through the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency.

Jung Ah-young saved the lives of four peers through brain-dead organ donation on June 29 and passed away.
[Image provided by Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency]

Dr. A said, “I am the attending physician who has cared for the child who received Ah-young’s heart for nearly 400 days,” and added, “Ah-young’s heart was received by a child who was hospitalized with heart failure around their first birthday and had been confined to the hospital for over 400 days relying on a ventricular assist device.”

He continued, “The child, whose entire world was what could be seen through the window of a multi-bed room, is now finally able to feel the earth beneath their feet and live at home like other children their age. All the ordinary days that child enjoys are thanks to Ah-young,” expressing his gratitude.

He also said, “The miraculous daily life of the child who once lived tethered to life-support tubes is all thanks to Ah-young and her parents, who made the difficult decision,” and promised, “I will do my best to care for the child so they can keep running for a long time.”

He added, “Every time I see the child, I will remember Ah-young,” and said, “I pray that Ah-young’s parents, though in pain, will have many days of smiles until the day they meet Ah-young again.”

Ah-young was born in October 2019 at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Dongnae-gu, Busan, and fell unconscious after hitting her head when she fell to the floor just five days after birth. During the investigation, it was revealed that Nurse A, who worked at the clinic, caused Ah-young’s fall.

Nurse A was also found to have abused 14 newborns, including holding their legs with one hand and lifting them upside down in the neonatal intensive care unit. Ultimately, Nurse A was sentenced to six years in prison by the Supreme Court, and this case became known as the “Ah-young case.”

Ah-young relied on a ventilator for over four years before being declared deceased at Yangsan University Hospital in Busan last June. Before passing away, Ah-young donated her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, saving the lives of four children of similar age.

At the time, Ah-young’s family stated, “We want to give meaning to the child’s coming into this world,” and expressed their hope that Ah-young would live and breathe somewhere else in another body, deciding to donate with the desire to save others.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.