NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A North Myrtle Beach man died just days after strangers helped get him back to the United States after having a stroke on board a cruise ship to the Bahamas, WPDE reported.
Bruce Campbell suffered the stroke Dec. 21 on a Carnival cruise.
His wife, Narcene Campbell, said she didn’t have enough money to get him back to the United States and the hospital in Freeport, Bahamas, didn’t have the equipment needed to treat him.
An anonymous donor paid about $20,000 to have him medevaced to a hospital in Wilmington.
Narcene said Bruce was declared brain-dead early Friday morning. He died Saturday morning.
“So we immediately got to the hospital and we were sitting there and they were talking to us about what was going to happen next, and it just clicked. I said, ‘Wait a minute, he wanted to give life to someone else,’" Narcene said.
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His wife said he was an organ donor, so he will be able to save the lives of others in need.
Narcene said doctors couldn’t take his lungs or heart due to his age, but they were able to take his liver, two kidneys, his corneas and a skin graft.
“I was at peace because I was able to fulfill one of his last wishes and knowing that one other person out there may have a chance to have a full life because of my husband, I can’t tell you the words. I can’t tell you the words," she said.