Madison Burgess
An update has been issued on a bride whose honeymoon turned into a nightmare when she experienced a 'life-threatening health decline'.
Sarah Danh, 27, a nurse from Texas, and her husband Luke Gradl, 28, landed in Tokyo to celebrate being Mr and Mrs on 8 April after getting married the month prior.
She was hospitalised overseas just one day later, and doctors diagnosed her with acute liver failure, among other serious health issues.
It came after she began noticing a number of strange symptoms, including jaundice, vomiting, fever, and body aches.
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Luke told PEOPLE Magazine at the time that his wife was also experiencing ‘extreme’ hepatic encephalopathy, which is a serious decline in brain function caused by severe liver disease.
When the liver is unable to filter toxins from the blood, they build up and affect the brain's ability to function, leading to unresponsiveness, coma or even death.
Sarah and her new husband were forced to take an emergency medical evacuation flight to San Antonio, Texas on April 21, where doctors identified ‘severe bilateral brain damage’ and tragically warned that she may never wake up or regain normal function.
Sarah’s mother, Le Le, also travelled back to the U.S after joining her daughter and son-in-law in Japan for ‘moral support’ following her hospitalisation.
However, things took a miraculous turn, and thankfully, Sarah has proven the odds wrong and is on the mend.
As per PEOPLE’s latest update, she’s now off life support, breathing on her own, and is even walking with assistance.
Sarah’s uncle, Khang Le, issued a positive update from Sarah’s parents on Facebook on Monday (11 May)
He wrote: "Sarah’s recovery continues to feel nothing short of a miracle.
“She has progressed faster than anyone anticipated, and we are incredibly grateful for the outstanding care she has received - especially from the medical team at Methodist Hospital and the liver specialists at Methodist Transplant Hospital.”
Adding: “One of the most meaningful milestones has been her ability to remember, recognize, and communicate with family and friends. Physically, she is gaining strength each day and making steady, encouraging progress."
He also shared a photo of Sarah awake and smiling in her hospital bed, surrounded by colourful ‘Get Well Soon’ posters, with one reading: “We love you so much.”
Sarah’s family added that she’s now being transferred to TIRR Rehabilitation in Houston, where she will ‘begin focused physical and cognitive therapy as the next step in her recovery’.
"We are deeply thankful for how far she has come and remain hopeful and optimistic about what lies ahead,” they continued.
Sarah’s liver is currently in a ‘stable’ condition, although some fluctuations are ‘expected’, and the next steps on her road to recovery are both physical and cognitive therapy.