Phillip Hancock was only 27 years-old when he passed away two months ago – but the compassionate young man’s death made history in Chongqing, China.
Hancock had been working as an English teacher there for four years until he fell ill from complications with type 1 diabetes.
When he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, his heart had temporarily stopped beating. By the time his family arrived, he had fallen into a coma and died.
While this may seem like a fairly common tragedy, there was something remarkable about the Australian man’s passing because he was an organ donor.
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Not just any donor, he became the first foreign donor in the city’s history and only the seventh foreign donor in China—and his story may inspire more Chinese to rethink their end-of-life wishes.
“He had always thought that if he was ever in that situation, he would like his organs donated – whatever they could take – so he could help out in some way,” Phillip’s father Peter told the BBC. “He always wanted to help people in whatever way possible. That’s why he wanted to be a teacher.”
And help he did; his liver and kidneys were reportedly used in three life-saving operations and his corneas restored sight to two different people.
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The donation is also significant because organ donation is very uncommon in China due to a cultural belief that a person’s body should remain intact after death. The BBC says that this mindset, compared to a general misunderstanding of the organ donor process, is part of the reason why China has one of the lowest rates of organ donation in the world.
So when Hancock’s story hit social media, it touched the hearts of many and inspired users to call him a “hero” and an “angel” who will “live on” through the people who he saved.
One could even dare to be hopeful that his story will inspire others to change their thoughts on organ donation in the future.
Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends – Photo by Peter Hancock