A grieving single mother’s decision to donate the organs of her son, who tragically lost his life following a road accident on March 15, helped save six lives.

Rekha Rao, a resident of Rajaji Nagar, said her 33-year-old son, Rakesh Kumar S, wanted to meet his friend on that fateful day, but his two-wheeler skidded and fell, the severity of head and facial injuries rendering him unconscious immediately.

Passersby took him to a local hospital, Rekha Rao added.

Rao, who had lost her husband 25 years ago, said despite her numbing grief, she wanted to do the right thing by Rakesh. "I find some comfort knowing that the decision to donate his organs will give others a chance to live,” Rekha

Rao told . She said after being denied a bed in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Nimhans, where she was advised to take her son, she had finally got him shifted to Apollo Hospital in Seshadripuram.

“But I was told that his brain eventually gave up on him,” Rekha Rao added.

His attending neurosurgeons from Apollo Dr B Ravi Mohan Rao and Dr Karthikeyan Y R said the severe head and face injuries increased pressure on his brain, causing significant complications, including a shift in part of his brain, and resulting in an extremely low level of consciousness, indicating a critical condition.

Despite prompt medical intervention and the dedicated efforts of the hospital’s medical team, his condition deteriorated.

After confirming the patient’s brain death through multiple apnea tests, Rekha Rao was given the option of organ donation, said the doctors.

“We are honoured to have played a role in this life-saving process.

Each of these generous donations will make a profound difference for patients in need of critical organ transplants, offering new hope and life-saving treatments,” said Dr Rekha Rao.

He also pointed out that according to the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) report, there are more than 4,000 patients in Bengaluru city who are waiting for organ transplants. “Donation will significantly contribute to saving lives and addressing the critical shortage of available organs for those in need,” he added. As for Rakesh Kumar, his liver and two kidneys were transplanted at Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, providing life-saving treatments to patients with liver and kidney failure, said Dr Karthikeyan.

His corneas were donated to restore sight to individuals suffering from blindness or severe vision impairment.

Rakesh Kumar’s heart valves have already been used in heart valve replacement surgery and his skin was donated to Victoria Hospital, where it has been used in the treatment of burn victims and patients requiring skin grafts to aid in their recovery, Dr Karthikeyan added to his statements.

Incidentally, Bengaluru local Rakesh Kumar, worked as an engineer in the next-generation health care field.