S'pore man, 27, passes away from rare brain condition, saves 4 lives through organ donation

27-year-old Nathaniel Zachariah Tan who suffered from a Grade 4 AVM passed away on Aug. 12.

In a final act of selflessness, he donated his kidneys, liver and iliac arteries, which will reportedly save four patients.

Discovered his condition back when he was serving NS

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, Nathaniel's mother, 62-year-old Queenie Tan, revealed that Nathaniel had suffered from frequent headaches since he was in Primary Five.

At the time, his family thought it was normal and did not pay much attention to it.

However, after he joined the army, Nathaniel kept getting severe headaches.

He decided to seek medical attention and upon having a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan done, he discovered that he had a Grade 4 cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM).

An AVM is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels that disrupts the normal flow between arteries and veins.

With this condition, the absence of capillaries, which connect arteries to veins and deliver oxygen to cells, means that blood flows directly from the arteries to veins, depriving surrounding tissue of oxygen.

In serious cases, this can cause brain haemorrhage, which can lead to a stroke and brain damage.

Underwent Gamma Knife surgery

Nathaniel decided to undergo Gamma Knife surgery back in September 2020.

The surgery is non-invasive and uses radiation to treat brain tumours, vascular abnormalities and other lesions in the brain.

According to his doctor, as reported in Shin Min Daily News, it would take three to eight years after the surgery to see results, and there are risks of tumours developing.

Speaking to Mothership, Nathaniel's fiancee, Cheryl Lim said that following the surgery, Nathaniel went for yearly check-ups at National University Hospital but his condition did not improve.

In February 2025, Nathaniel went for another MRI scan and discovered that he had a Gamma Knife-induced cyst.

The cyst development is a complication that occurs in about one in ten people.

By Jul. 7, the cyst had grown even bigger, approximately 7cm in size.

Doctors also suspected that there was blood in the cyst.

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A post shared by Nathaniel Zachariah🔹 (@zakeriea)

Admitted into the hospital after feeling numbness on the left side of the body

On Jul. 28, Nathaniel visited the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department after feeling numbness on the left side of his body and was admitted into the hospital.

He underwent two emergency surgeries after being admitted.

Following the first operation, doctors warned that it might be difficult for Nathaniel to survive the next 48 hours, but he pulled through and went on to have the second operation.

Nathaniel had suffered a stroke on the left side of his brain and trauma on the right.

There was very high inter-cranial pressure, which caused damage to his brain stem.

He fell into a coma after the surgery and was eventually pronounced brain dead on Aug. 12 at 12pm.

Donated some of his organs

Following an organ assessment, he was brought into the operating theatre for organ donation at 8pm.

He donated his kidneys, liver and iliac arteries.

Nathaniel's mother, 62-year-old Queenie Tan, told Shin Min Daily News that her son was a very loving man and he had previously told Cheryl that if he passed away, he wanted his organs to be donated to help others in need.

She added that Nathaniel initially wanted to donate ten of his organs but his heart, lungs and corneas did not meet the requirements.

She said that the organs donated would help four patients in need.

Nathaniel and Cheryl were supposed to get married in November

Queenie told Shin Min Daily News that Nathaniel and Cheryl were in a relationship for eight years.

Nathaniel had proposed to Cheryl in Taiwan back in October 2024 with a song he composed himself.

They had originally planned to get married in mid-November this year.

Queenie added that the couple had saved up money for their wedding, and had already made the necessary arrangements.

Local artiste Jaspers Lai posted a tribute to Nathaniel on Facebook

According to Queenie, as reported in Shin Min Daily News, Nathaniel had grown up with local artiste Jaspers Lai and the two were very close.

Jaspers posted a tribute to Nathaniel on Facebook, calling him an "angel".

"He changed so many people's lives, and even after his passing, he saved four lives," Jaspers wrote.

Nathaniel was a source of light in his mother's life

Queenie told Shin Min Daily News that her pregnancy came during a difficult period in her life, following her divorce and her mother's passing.

Nathaniel became her source of light and strength during that time.

"He supports me more than I support him. He's been my sunshine for 27 years," Queenie said.

She added that her son was a truly talented person; he was a photographer who could sing and dance, and who also knew how to play the guitar and drums.

Many went to pay their respects to Nathaniel

Queenie said that Nathaniel did not want a sombre funeral, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Instead, he wanted it to be a celebration and asked for everyone to come dressed colourfully.

"It's not a goodbye, it's a see you again." — Nathaniel

Queenie added that her son was well-loved and had many friends.

Over 200 people went to pay their respects to him on the first night of his wake, and another 200 to 300 are expected to attend the wake on the second night.

"He touched so many people in his life, we all think he was an angel."

Top photos via Mothership