Indian expat’s organs saved 3 lives when he died; now his widow seeks help

Abu Dhabi: A 45-year-old widow of an organ donor who gave a new lease of life to three persons when died of a brain stroke in Dubai post an accident last month, is desperate for help to clear her rental dues and return back to India.

Khushbuben Nileshkumar Chitaniya, from Gujarat, wants to go back to India but she can’t do that unless she pays the rent that her husband owed for the apartment and shop which was rented in her name. The due amounts to about Dh200,000.

Khushbuben said she is legally obligated to to clear this amount. “I cannot afford the huge amount. I need whatever support I can to pay up these dues at the earliest and be with my 20-year-old daughter who had to discontinue her studies in Gujarat under the circumstances. Please help me,” Gulf News reported.

Her husband Nileshkumar Chitaniya, 55, an AC technician who ran a small shop in Bur Dubai, suffered a severe brain stroke on July 11, following which he was rushed to a private hospital in Dubai.

Chitaniya was returning home after his evening walk when he collapsed in the building parking lot.

An unknown person who saw him alerted the watchman who in turn contacted Khushbuben. Her husband had blanked out and they called an ambulance which rushed him to the Emergency where he was diagnosed with a brain stroke. He was in a coma and was put on the ventilator.

Chitaniya passed away on July 17, but he saved three other lives by donating his vital organs which were in perfect condition.

However, Khushbuben struggled to cope with the bitter situation, she knew that her husband wanted to donate his organs.

Chitaniya was highly appreciated by the UAE authorities, a letter of appreciation was sent to Khushbuben stating that, “The wonderful gift of life that Nileshkumar Arvindbhai Chitaniya so unselfishly gave contributed to saving the lives of other organ failure patients and gave them hope for transplant,” the letter said, referring to Chitaniya as “one of the heroes” of the community.

Widowed Khoshbuben is still coping with her personal loss, with unpaid rents exacerbating her problems.