Pregnant, Brain-Dead Canadian on Life Support

Around a month from now, Dylan Benson of Victoria, BC, will lose his wife and—hopefully—gain a son on the same day. Wife Robyn was declared brain dead after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage at the end of December; she had complained of a headache then collapsed at home. She was five months pregnant at the time and doctors are keeping her on life support until the fetus is 34 weeks and more likely to survive, reports the CBC. Benson says the boy, who he plans to name Iver Cohen Benson, has a 60% to 80% chance of making it through the C-section.

"Pretty much her body is doing everything but her brain isn't there anymore. She's doing an amazing job," Benson says "On one hand, I can’t wait to meet my son and try and give him the best life possible and try my hardest to be a great dad for him. On the other hand, I know that the day or the day after he is born will be the day that I have to say goodbye to Robyn." The case—which has raised many of the same issues as a recent case in Texas where a brain-dead, pregnant woman was removed from life support—has prompted an outpouring of support from the community, and a fundraising campaign has raised $138,000, more than $100,000 more than its goal, USA Today reports. (More brain death stories.)