A man in his 60s who had expressed his intention to donate organs during his lifetime died after donating organs following brain death, giving new life to four patients. The family respected the deceased's wishes and agreed to the organ donation.
Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) said on June 4 that Cho Young-sam, 62, donated his liver, lungs, and both kidneys to four patients through brain-dead organ donation at Chosun University Hospital on Apr. 28.
Cho collapsed suddenly on Apr. 23 and underwent emergency surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage but never regained consciousness. He was later determined to be brain-dead, and the organ donation was carried out with his family's consent. Cho had often told his family, "I want to donate my organs." In 2015, he also signed up as a prospective organ donor.
His son Eun-bin said, "When my paternal grandmother passed away, she donated her body," and added, "Following that wish, we learned that Father had registered as a prospective organ donor more than 10 years ago, and we agreed to the donation, believing it was his final wish."
Born in 1963 in Gwangju as the youngest of five siblings, Cho drew close to faith from childhood. He then spent more than 20 years caring for his neighbors. He was known to be widely respected for his quick wit and warm character.
Cho married his wife, whom he met at church, and they had one son and two daughters. To his family, he was a loving husband and a reliable father. Speaking of his father, Eun-bin recalled, "He was a husband and father who always led us to be a harmonious family based on our family motto, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,'" and added, "People around us all said there was no one like Father—he cared for his family so well and was a true romantic."
On weekends, Cho spent time watching drama with his wife, and he also enjoyed baseball. To mark Eun-bin's birthday on May 20, they had planned to go to a ballpark together, and a formal family meeting ahead of Eun-bin's wedding—the first among the three siblings—had also been scheduled. To his father, Eun-bin left a final message: "The rest of the family will be fine, so wait for us in heaven and let's meet later. I respect you and love you."
Lee Sam-yeol, president of Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA), said, "Cho Young-sam showed the noble value of love through sharing life," and added, "We extend our deep gratitude and condolences to the deceased who kept the promise of sharing and to the bereaved family who made a precious decision."