Texas nurse fighting for her life after sudden liver failure on Japan honeymoon

The newlyweds flew into Tokyo, arrived at their hotel that afternoon, and stayed there to rest after Danh said she feeling unwell

Published Apr 22, 2026  •  2 minute read

Sarah Danh and her mom Le Le in hospital in Japan after sudden kidney failure while on her honeymoon. Photo by Khang Le /Facebook

A Texas nurse has been airlifted back to the United States and is now fighting for her life in hospital as she battles a “life-threatening” illness after getting sick on her honeymoon in Japan.

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Sarah Danh, 27, arrived in San Antonio on Tuesday evening on a 20-hour emergency medical flight from the Asian nation, where she was hospitalized for nearly two weeks with acute liver failure, according to People.

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Danh and Luke Gradl, 28, married in their “dream wedding” on Houston on March 21 before embarking on what would be a honeymoon nightmare on April 8.

The newlyweds flew into Tokyo, arrived at their hotel that afternoon, and stayed there to rest after Danh said she feeling unwell.

The next day, “things started to go bad very quickly,” so Gradl rushed her to the hospital, where she was first admitted to the emergency room before she was moved the next day to the ICU “because of life-threatening health decline.”

Among his wife’s symptoms were jaundice, body aches, and vomiting, he told the outlet.

Doctors in Japan diagnosed the labour and delivery nurse with acute liver failure — but Gradl said she was also suffering from kidney failure and intracranial brain pressure.

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A GoFundMe was launched for Danh, who needs a liver transplant, and whose hospital bills in Japan had to be paid in full before she could be discharged.

So far, the fundraiser has reached more than $178,000 US.

Sarah Danh, after graduating nursing school in 2025. (Facebook) Photo by Khang Le /Facebook

Video shared by Le on Facebook shows Danh strapped to a gurney and being hoisted into a medical plane, which came courtesy of AirMed and Danh’s employer, Methodist Hospital Stone Oak in San Antonio, which helped coordinate the difficult flight home, People reported.

Danh’s uncle, Khang Le, has been sharing updates about his niece, including the high-risk flight, which he said was “worth taking if we want her to have any chance of recover.”

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Le’s most recent post on Wednesday was about Danh’s return to San Antonio.

“Her condition is currently being evaluated by the doctors,” he wrote.

Danh is stable, but the cause of her sudden health decline is still unknown, as she appeared completely healthy prior to the honeymoon, according to People.

“There were no health signs at our wedding,” Gradl said.

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