Grandfather awaiting first grandchild donates organs, gives new life to four

A man in his 60s who had been eagerly awaiting the birth of his first grandchild died after donating his organs following a brain-death declaration, giving four people a second chance at life.

According to the Korea Organ and Tissue Agency, Song Ki-seop, 67, donated his liver, lungs and both corneas at Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea on June 3. Song also donated bone, skin and other human tissue, helping more than 100 patients with functional disabilities recover.

Song collapsed on May 25 after suddenly complaining of dizziness and was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a cerebral infarction. He underwent surgery but never regained consciousness and was declared brain-dead. His family, knowing his considerate nature well, decided to proceed with the donation.

His wife, Yun An-sun, said her husband had expressed his wish not to receive life-prolonging treatment. Given how he always put others first, she believed he would be glad to live on through others by donating his organs.

According to the family, Song grew up in Seoul as the eldest of four siblings and spent more than 20 years driving a freight truck to support his family after an earlier career in salaried work. In recent years, even while working, he had taken sole responsibility for caring for his 90-year-old mother.

His daughter and son are each expecting to give birth and get married this year. Song had particularly looked forward to meeting his grandchild, saying he would carry a photo everywhere once the baby arrived this fall.

Yun, grieving that her husband never got to meet his grandchild, offered a final farewell: "Darling, I hope you can now set down your heavy burdens and fly free. Even though you are no longer in this world, someone will carry a part of you within them, and I will find comfort in that. I love you."