A 45-year-old man in Singapore who fell into a coma from acute liver failure last Christmas passed away on Jan. 3, 2024.

About 50 people came forward after the family's call for urgent help, but his condition had deteriorated within the week.

Family was seeking liver donors

The man, Desmond Lee, was diagnosed with liver failure due to a viral infection caused by a pre-existing Hepatitis B condition.

Lee was sent to Singapore General Hospital on Dec. 24, 2023, in critical condition.

His wife Huang, 38, told Shin Min that out of the many people who responded to their call for help, two of them contacted her on New Year's Day and could take blood tests immediately.

But they were found to be ineligible.

The next day, two others came forward and had their blood tested.

With the public's continued support, Huang thought she saw a glimmer of hope for her husband.

When the glimmer of hope was snuffed out

However, her husband's condition deteriorated.

Before the other two donor's blood test results returned, Lee started having seizures.

The doctors told Huang that her husband's deteriorating condition had caused his brain to be damaged, and he would not be suitable for a transplant anymore.

"His condition became even worse the next day," Huang told the Shin Min reporter calmly, with a dejected look on her face.

"The doctors asked us to consider terminating life support."

A tough decision

Huang said she had to pass the news on to her other family members.

Everyone was devastated by the news.

"We all wept when we made the decision," she said. "But he will keep suffering if we decide to keep him on life support."

Family couldn't bear to see him pass away

Lee was taken off life support at around 7:15pm on Jan. 3, 2024.

Huang said she and her family couldn't bear to see him pass away and waited outside the ward with her daughters.

Lee passed away within 15 minutes.

"The doctors said he passed away peacefully," Huang told Shin Min reporters.

Left two young daughters behind

Lee left behind two daughters, aged four and seven.

Huang said they never knew what exactly happened to their father.

Worried her daughters would be afraid, she had only let them see their father through video calls.

They also didn't get to see him in his final moments.

Huang did let her elder daughter see Lee's body while paying her last respects to him.

The elder daughter asked why her father kept lying down and why his face was so pale.

"It might be better for them not to understand what happened," she said. "Then they wouldn't have to go through the sorrow."

Wife grateful for everyone who offered help

Huang said she was heartbroken and cried her share, but now that she's her daughters' only support, she had to get back on her feet and move on.

She also thanked everyone who had offered their help.

"I'm very grateful for everyone's help," she said. "I'm really, very grateful,"

Top image from Shin Min Daily News.