Mother Donates Son's Heart and Organs After Brain Hemorrhage
A 30-year-old man's heart and organs donated by his family after a cerebral hemorrhage at a Phetchabun hospital will save five lives, including a heart transplant recipient at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok.
A Final Act of Merit: Young Man's Organ Donation Saves Five Lives After Brain Hemorrhage
On September 25, 2025, at Wichian Buri Hospital, medical teams from the Thai Red Cross Society, Phetchabun Hospital, and Wichian Buri Hospital jointly extracted the heart and kidneys from Surachai Bia Chat Thai, 30, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was declared brain dead.
His family donated a heart—the 191st to the Thai Red Cross Society—along with two kidneys and two corneas, which will help save five additional patients. The mother and relatives received a certificate of honor and a respectful funeral tribute.
The Red Cross medical team performed the heart extraction before urgently transporting the organ to Siriraj Hospital for transplant within four hours via Highway 21, Highway 1, and Don Mueang Tollway. Highway police led the convoy, with Bangkok traffic police from a royal project assisting once the route entered the city.
After the Red Cross team finished extracting the heart, Phetchabun and Wichian Buri hospital teams performed kidney and cornea extraction surgeries for transplant to waiting recipients.
Noi Suksaramn, 52, the mother and resident of Bo Rang Subdistrict, Wichian Buri District, revealed that she had two sons, and the deceased was the elder. Surachai was normally healthy, lived alone, and worked as a general laborer. He had never been seriously ill enough to require hospitalization and was known for helping others.
On September 21, he complained of severe headache and was admitted to Wichian Buri Hospital. He lost consciousness, and X-rays revealed a cerebral hemorrhage. Doctors warned that surgery could leave him in a permanent comatose state.
The family decided to make a final merit offering by donating his organs, believing he would approve since he was always willing to help others. They felt that even though his body had been cremated, his heart and some organs living on meant he remained in the world. The mother requested that recipients care for themselves well, live happily, and dedicate merit to her son if possible, and she prayed his spirit would reach a better realm.
