The 3-year-old Angel gave life to his death. His kidneys and heart were given to people in need.

After suffering torture at the hands of his mother and stepfather, the little boy breathed his last while his organs were given for transplantation.

The kidneys were successfully transplanted to a 37-year-old man at the Hippocrates Hospital in Thessaloniki while the director of the Evaggelismos transplant surgery clinic, Vassilis Vougas, who led the team that carried out the kidney removal, said the heart had already been transplanted in Germany and “the little boy is doing very well.”

“The transplant on the 37-year-old recipient went very well and the team in Thessaloniki deserve congratulations for their success,” Voujas told neakriti.gr.

Referring to the photo where it made the rounds of the media, Mr. Voujas said: “it was a sacred moment. This decision was taken collectively by all those present in the operating room, in consultation with the Pagni hospital administration, to honour the little hero. In many hospitals abroad, this practice is practiced as a way of saying goodbye to the donor of the transplants.”

Vougas said it was a sign of culture, which would be important to be adopted more widely in Greece.

Speaking about the tragic aspect of the case, he stressed that little Angelos is one of the youngest organ donors, however, his case is heartbreaking as he lost his life in a violent and unorthodox manner. As he explained, organ donations usually result from car accidents, accidents at home, strokes, or bleeding.

“In this case, the feelings are mixed. On the one hand,d there is sadness and skepticism, on the other hand, organ donation acquires multiple significance, as through it the life of little Angelos leaves a precious imprint,” he concluded.