Sarah Danh nurse liver failure while on dream honeymoon with husband, Luke Gradl as San Antonio, Texas nurse is airlifted back to the U.S after medical emergency as family still don’t know what led to medical crises and new bride being hospitalized.
A Texas bride fighting for her life after experiencing a medical emergency while on her honeymoon in Japan is finally on her way home after nearly two weeks in critical condition.
Sarah Danh, 27, of San Antonio, experienced a ‘life-threatening health decline’ on April 9—just one day after arriving in Japan with her newly wed husband, Luke Gradl, 28. What began as a celebratory trip soon turned into a medical crisis, as Danh was hospitalized with acute liver failure and remained in critical care overseas.
Now, Danh is being transported back to the United States aboard an emergency medical evacuation flight coordinated by AirMed, along with support from her employer, HCA Healthcare, and Methodist Hospital Stone Oak in San Antonio. The flight is expected to land Tuesday evening, April 21—exactly one month after the couple’s wedding, People Mag reported.
Emergency flight organized for trip back to the U.S
Danh, a labor and delivery nurse at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak, will continue receiving treatment in San Antonio, where medical teams are prepared for her arrival.
Her husband and mother, Le Le, expressed deep gratitude to the teams who made the emergency evacuation possible.
‘Thank you to HCA Healthcare and Methodist Hospital for providing the medical flight home,’ they said according to the outlet. ‘That generosity means more to us than we can put into words.’
They also praised the medical staff in Japan who worked tirelessly to stabilize Danh before she could be transported.
‘We’ll never forget your care and dedication,’ they said. ‘To the AirMed team, thank you for moving so quickly and making everything come together when it mattered most.’
Danh’s mother had traveled to Japan to support the couple during the crisis but returned to the U.S. separately ahead of her daughter’s transfer.
San Antonio nurse continues to remain in critical condition amid mystery illness
While Danh is now considered stable, her condition remains serious. Doctors have not yet determined the cause of her sudden liver failure, and her family says she showed no signs of illness during her wedding on March 21.
According to her husband, Danh has endured a range of severe symptoms, including jaundice, vomiting, fever, body aches, and extreme hepatic encephalopathy—a dangerous complication that affects brain function.
Although Danh is stable, her fight for survival isn’t over. The cause of her sudden health decline is still unknown, as she showed ‘no health signs’ at her wedding on March 21. Further medical testing and evaluations will take place in the U.S.
The family is also ‘beyond grateful’ for those who have prayed or donated to support Danh’s healing journey. Their GoFundMe has raised $174,000 as of Tuesday, April 21.
