12-year-old donates organs after death

[Anchor]

Twelve-year-old Moon Ha-eun, who was left alone at home and critically injured in a fire, has passed away five days later.

Ha-eun chose to donate her organs, sharing life even after her death.

Reporter Min Jeong-hee has the story.

[Report]

[“Red, blue, and in between, three seconds, that short time~ shining yellow light~”]

In the video, a smiling child sings; this is 12-year-old elementary school student Moon Ha-eun.

Her favorite foods were mint chocolate and tteokbokki.

She loved her pet cat 'Binu' and had many dreams, including wanting to become a veterinarian.

However, on Feb. 26, a fire destroyed everything.

Ha-eun, who was home alone during the school vacation, fell into critical condition after the fire and passed away five days later.

Ha-eun's father, who had been suffering from a chronic illness since last year, was in the hospital at the time of the fire, and her mother was at work.

As her husband's health deteriorated, Ha-eun's mother had to work 12 hours a day, six days a week to support the family of three.

[Shin OO/Moon Ha-eun's mother: “As my husband’s health got worse, he couldn’t work anymore. I had to work 12 hours to at least earn 3 million won.”]

Ha-eun was included multiple times in the government's 'at-risk children' management program due to her father's illness, but her family did not receive actual support because their household income exceeded the criteria.

Despite their difficult situation, Ha-eun's family decided to donate her organs, including her heart and pancreas, remembering their bright and loving daughter.

[Shin OO/Moon Ha-eun's mother: “I think I felt that it should be done without much hesitation. I wanted her to be remembered as a good person who did a good deed before leaving.”]

Ha-eun's funeral will be set up tomorrow (3.5) as soon as the autopsy is completed.

This is KBS News, Min Jeong-hee.