• 28-year-old auto driver declared brain-dead after stroke; organs donated
• Brain stroke claimed his father 15 years ago, sister in 2024 and mother nine months ago

Mysore/Mysuru: Efforts by friends of a young autorickshaw driver to save his life ended in tragedy when he was declared brain dead at a hospital in Mysuru.

In a final act of compassion, a relative later gave consent for organ donation, allowing the young man’s organs to give a new lease of life to several patients.

The deceased has been identified as Rajesh (28), a resident of Parasaiyyana Hundi village in the taluk.

In a tragic coincidence, a brain stroke has repeatedly struck his family.

Rajesh’s father died of a brain stroke about 15 years ago, his sister succumbed to the same ailment in 2024 and his mother passed away due to a brain stroke around nine months ago.

According to his friends, Rajesh fell ill on Dec. 14 and was admitted to Aravinda Hospital in Mysuru.

The following day, he was shifted to Vistara Hospital, where he underwent treatment for two days.

On Dec. 17, doctors informed his friends that Rajesh had suffered a brain stroke and advised that he be moved to Apollo BGS Hospitals for advanced care.

Acting on the advice, his friends shifted him to Apollo Hospitals the same day. After examination, doctors informed them that Rajesh was brain-dead.

They also explained that his organs could be harvested to save multiple lives, provided consent was obtained from his parents or relatives. By then, Rajesh’s friends had already spent around Rs. 2 lakh in their efforts to save him.

With Rajesh’s parents and sister no longer alive, his friends made determined efforts to trace a close relative. They eventually contacted the son of Rajesh’s paternal uncle.

On learning about Rajesh’s condition, the relative rushed to the hospital and gave consent for organ donation.

Following the consent, Rajesh’s eyes, kidneys and heart valves were harvested yesterday, hospital sources said.

Rajesh’s friends who received the body from hospital authorities, performed his last rites at the foot of Chamundi Hill today.