Baby Hoai An, who fought for her life in Singapore hospital, dies in Vietnam
Hoai An recovering after surgery at Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Apr 16, 2019. (Photo: Mount Elizabeth Hospital)
SINGAPORE: Baby Trieu Hoai An, who was brought to Singapore for treatment after being abandoned at a coffee plantation in Vietnam, has died.
Hoai An died on Friday (Jul 12) at about 4am, said her primary caregiver Venerable Minh Tai. The baby was at the Hue Quang monastery in Vietnam when she stopped breathing in her sleep.
She was three months and three weeks old.
READ: A 30-day miracle: Baby abandoned in plastic bag in Vietnam fights for her life in Singapore hospital
In March, baby Hoai An was found abandoned in a plastic bag on a tree. She had an open head wound, with maggots wriggling from her head, belly button, eyes and nose.
In addition, she was diagnosed with hydranencephaly, an extremely rare disorder of the central nervous system with symptoms that include an enlarged head, infantile spasm or seizures, paralysis, blindness and fluid in the brain.
Doctors in Vietnam had given her less than a year to live.
Hoai An was just 17 days old when she was admitted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Apr 10, thanks to donations that poured in from people who had heard of her plight.
Her condition improved, and her story of resilience touched many.
After spending about two months in Singapore, Hoai An returned to the Hue Quang monastery in Vietnam in June.
Sharing news of the death in a Facebook post on Friday, Venerable Minh Tai said the nun who was taking care of Hoai An at the time was woken up by her cries at about 3am.
The nun made some milk for the baby but she continued crying despite finishing the entire bottle.
Hoai An was eventually coaxed back to sleep but when the nun checked on her again, she had stopped breathing. She was rushed to a local hospital where doctors could not resuscitate her.
"The winds of impermanence have shaken the last succulent leaf off the branches of life, with no time for a new plantlet to sprout," said Venerable Minh Tai, who is known for her charitable efforts.
"May you soon be reborn into a better world."
In a statement on Friday, Mount Elizabeth Hospital said it is saddened to learn of baby Hoai An’s passing.
"She was a spirited baby who fought bravely despite her condition. We would like to extend our condolences to Venerable Minh Tai and her caretakers," it said.
"May Hoai An rest in peace."
