A Texas nurse who became critically ill during her honeymoon is showing small but promising signs of responsiveness after being flown back to the United States for treatment.
Sarah Danh, 27, was transported to San Antonio last Tuesday following a 24-hour medical evacuation from Japan, where she had been hospitalized after developing acute liver failure just two days into her trip. She remains in a coma, but family members say recent developments have given them reason for cautious optimism.
In an update shared Sunday, her uncle, Khang Le, said Danh has begun to exhibit subtle signs of improvement. Though she is still on a ventilator, she has started to take a few weak breaths on her own. He described the day as the most hopeful since the family first learned she had been admitted to intensive care overseas.
Le also noted that Danh appears to be aware of her loved ones at times. She reportedly squeezed her mother’s hand and gave a faint nod when asked if she could hear, moments that brought emotional relief to her family gathered at her bedside.
The situation has been deeply challenging for those close to her. Doctors previously warned that she had suffered a stroke and feared significant bilateral brain damage, raising concerns she might not regain consciousness. However, a recent MRI suggested that some of the damage could be reversible, renewing hope for her recovery.
Since then, Danh has continued to show gradual progress, with indications that she may slowly be emerging from the coma. Her family remains focused on taking things one moment at a time as they wait for further improvement.
Danh, who works as a labor and delivery nurse at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital, had recently married her longtime partner, Luke Gradl, after seven years together. The couple wed on March 21 in Houston before traveling to Tokyo on April 8 for their honeymoon.
Gradl said she began feeling unwell shortly after arriving in Japan. By the following night, her condition worsened rapidly, prompting him to take her to the emergency room, where she was later admitted to the ICU due to a life-threatening decline.
He explained that she had shown no prior health issues leading up to the trip, including on their wedding day. In addition to liver failure, doctors later determined she was also experiencing kidney failure and increased pressure in her brain.
A GoFundMe campaign launched to help with medical expenses and transportation costs has raised more than $180,000, far exceeding its original goal of $50,000.