A man who dropped off his wife at the hospital for kidney dialysis treatment was called by doctors and told to come straight back after she suffered a fatal brain bleed.
David Stiller had not long dropped his wife Sara off at hospital for routine treatment on Monday, but had to endure three days of hell with his wife of eight years on a life support machine, before the decision was made to switch it off on Thursday.
Doctors told him that Sara, 34, had suffered a "catastrophic" bleed but there was nothing more that they could do for her, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Sara and David lived together in Wigan, Greater Manchester with their three-year-old daughter Ellie.
Paying tribute to his wife, David, 35, said: "She had a heart of gold and would help anyone. She was always positive and an absolute fighter. She's been through so much.
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"Sara was an amazing woman and absolutely idolised our daughter."
David said Sara had struggled with her health for a number of years, but "never let her problems stop her smiling."
In 2010, she was diagnosed with kidney failure relating to type one diabetes. After being put on a waiting list, she managed to secure a double kidney and pancreas transplant in 2013.
Later that year, she met David online and the pair got talking before eventually meeting up in person.
"It was love at first sight," said David. "We were always happy and never argued. She was my soul mate.
"I always thought I would never meet anyone. I was badly bullied growing up and made some wrong decisions, then I met her and everything changed."
Within six months, David had moved up to Wigan from Wiltshire and the couple married in 2015.
Three years later, their 'miracle baby' Ellie was born following IVF treatment. However, during the pregnancy, Sara developed a kidney infection, which meant her daughter had to be delivered eight weeks earlier.
Sara's kidney deteriorated from then on and by November of last year, she had become so ill that she had to have it removed.
Desperate to help his wife, David underwent tests to see if he could become a kidney donor. Tragically, he found out he had been successful just hours after Sara's stroke.
After returning home from dropping his wife off on Monday, David video called her before returning to the hospital to deliver her blood pressure tablets.
Soon after, he noticed he had a missed call from his wife. About 20 minutes later, David received a phone call telling him he needed to get to the hospital.
Scans showed Sara had suffered a bleed on the brain and doctors told David there was nothing they could do for his wife.
"It was horrible," said David. "But I knew they were making the right decision.
"They said it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen."
David added: "I had eight wonderful years with her, I just wish I could have had more."
