Stefan Henze, the German Olympic canoe slalom coach who died following a car crash in Rio last week, has already saved the lives of four people.
Henze was involved in a crash near the Olympic park last Friday, but despite being taken to hospital with head injuries and undergoing emergency brain surgery, he died on Monday as a result of his injuries.
According to German media, Henze’s major organs have subsequently been donated to four people.
A spokesperson from the Brazilian health ministry told German newspaper Die Welt: “Heart, liver and both kidneys have been successfully transplanted. Thus he has saved four lives.”
Henze’s family travelled to Rio after the accident and reportedly gave their consent to the transplants, the Independent reports.
The 35-year-old was in Rio as part of the German canoe slalom coaching team but was also a former Olympian himself. He won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the canoe slalom doubles.
Following news of Henze’s death, the German Olympic committee DOSB said: “Words cannot describe what we feel in the team after this terrible loss.”
And tributes have been pouring in from all over the world:
Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.
