“She had the best time here [in Vietnam]. She was loving every minute of it, so it’s our way of thanking you,” Daily Mail quoted her mother as saying.
At this extremely difficult time, we chose to donate Orla’s organs as we believe that if there were a way to give opportunity to others, this is what she would have wanted.’ the mother added. “Knowing that she is living on through them brings us great comfort.”
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Henrietta Wates shakes hands with a doctor at the VietDuc University Hospital in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of VietDuc University Hospital |
Orla, 19, was the daughter of a director at Wates, a British construction company valued at £2.4 billion (US$3.3 billion). She died following a motorbike crash in Ha Giang Province on April 2 while traveling the Ha Giang Loop during a gap year before beginning her studies at Durham University this fall.
After the accident, she was taken to VietDuc University Hospital in Hanoi, where doctors later determined that she was brain dead because of severe injuries.
Her parents, Andy and Henrietta Wates, later agreed to donate her organs to patients in need through liver, kidney and cornea transplants. The accident is still under investigation, but reports said Orla had been riding as a passenger when the motorbike driver lost control.
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A mountain pass in Ha Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo by Pexels |
She was believed to have been thrown from the bike before being struck by a truck. Her mother said: ‘Orla was beautiful, independent and very funny, with a sharp wit. She loved to look good and lived life to the full.’
Her father said the family viewed the donation as a way of giving something back to Vietnam, a country Orla had loved deeply.
“Vietnam was a country she loved, so to give back to Vietnam is very important to us,” he said.
Orla Wates’ parents bid a final farewell to their daughter. Video courtesy of VietDuc University Hospital
The Ha Giang Loop is a 350-400 km motorbike route popular among young travelers visiting Vietnam. Tours usually last three to four days and pass through the Dong Van Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark.
It is known for steep mountains, deep valleys, terraced fields and challenging mountain passes, including Ma Pi Leng.
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