A 25-year-old student from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has been reunited with his parents in China after suffering severe brain injuries following a drowning incident at a campus swimming pool.
Wang Yan, who was studying at the NUS School of Computing, reportedly fell into a coma after the accident on 9 April. The incident has since sparked an outpouring of support from members of the public, with donations helping to fund his medical evacuation back to China.
The student, originally from Qingdao, had travelled to Singapore to pursue higher education and was expected to graduate this year. According to a fundraiser created by a family friend, Wang was his retired parents’ only child, and the family had invested heavily in his overseas studies in hopes of building a better future.
Severe Brain Damage After Oxygen Deprivation
Following the accident, Wang was rescued from the pool and rushed to the National University Hospital (NUH). However, doctors later discovered that his brain had been deprived of oxygen for an extended period.
Medical examinations reportedly showed diffuse cerebral swelling caused by hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, a serious form of brain injury linked to oxygen deprivation.
The fundraiser stated that Wang currently relies on multiple life-support systems, including a ventilator, oxygen support and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), to stay alive.
His condition also created major challenges for his parents, who remained in China and were unable to immediately travel to Singapore to care for him.
Public Donations Helped Fund Air Ambulance Home
As Wang’s condition required specialised transportation, the family needed to arrange an air ambulance equipped with ICU-level medical care.
The repatriation process reportedly involved a full medical team, ventilator support systems, oxygen equipment and coordinated medical transfers between Singapore and China.
Fortunately, donations from the public helped make the transfer possible. Wang has since been flown back to his hometown in China, where he remains in the intensive care unit of a local hospital.
According to an update on the fundraising page, his parents are finally able to remain by his bedside and continue supporting him through his recovery journey.
The organisers added that Wang’s parents expressed deep gratitude to everyone who donated, shared the fundraiser and kept their son in their thoughts during the difficult period.
Medical Bills Expected To Reach Around S$400,000
Despite the successful transfer home, Wang’s financial burden remains substantial.
The fundraiser noted that there are still significant outstanding medical expenses in Singapore, along with costly medical repatriation fees that have yet to be fully settled.
As Wang reportedly does not have insurance coverage, the total medical expenses are expected to reach approximately S$400,000.
So far, more than S$230,000 has been raised through the campaign, slightly over half of its intended target. Organisers are continuing to appeal for public support to help the family cope with the overwhelming healthcare costs.
The incident has also prompted discussions online about the importance of medical insurance for international students studying overseas, especially in cases involving critical illness, emergency healthcare and long-term intensive care treatment.