A Texas nurse who suffered a terrifying, unexplained medical emergency during her honeymoon is finally showing signs of recovery after weeks of fighting for her life.
27-year-old Sarah Danh has been in critical condition since April 9, when she suddenly experienced a “life-threatening health decline” while in Japan just days into her honeymoon.
She was rushed to a hospital overseas, where doctors placed her in a coma on life support after diagnosing her with acute liver failure and other serious complications.
After an emergency medical evacuation, Danh returned to the U.S. on April 21 — and in the days since, her family says they’ve begun to see small but powerful signs of hope.
At first, those signs were subtle. Her uncle, Khang Le, shared that she gently squeezed her mother’s hand and faintly nodded when asked if she could hear — moments that meant everything to her loved ones.
Now, the updates are even more encouraging.
According to her family, Danh is no longer on life support and is breathing on her own. She has also started to move her arms and wiggle her toes — major milestones after weeks in a coma.
Even more remarkably, doctors recently helped her stand, and with assistance, she was able to take a few small steps.
Still, her recovery is far from over.
Danh is currently unable to speak and needs help with basic functions like eating, drinking, and controlling her movements. Her memory comes and goes, and while she can express emotions like happiness, sadness, and discomfort — even smiling or giggling at times — those responses can be inconsistent.
Doctors previously detected brain damage on an MRI, but told the family there is hope it could be reversible.
Her husband, Luke Gradl, and family remain by her side as she continues to fight through what will likely be a long road to recovery.
Once she leaves the ICU, Danh is expected to undergo extensive physical and cognitive therapy as doctors work to determine what caused her sudden medical crisis in the first place.
Through it all, her family says the outpouring of support has made a difference. A fundraiser launched during her hospitalization raised more than $187,000 before it was later taken down.