As a hospital nurse in Sydney, Australia, Russell Marsh makes his living by caring for the needs of others — but now a tragic turn of events has left him critically ill.

Marsh told his wife, Helen, that a sick patient coughed on him while he was at work on Feb. 12. Just two days later, he became ill with a cough and fever.

After a downward spiral, the 39-year-old has spent the past two weeks on life support. Today he’s in a coma with his family by his side.

According to the GoFundMe page she created to raise money for her brother-in-law’s medical expenses and ongoing household costs, Jasmine Nguyen said the loving father remains critically ill, has developed acute kidney failure, and is currently on dialysis.

“Four days later, Russell took time off work as he was experiencing shortness of breath and difficulties breathing,” she wrote.

He was then rushed to the hospital, where doctors found he wasn’t getting enough oxygen to his brain and body.

“Less than 24 hours later, Russell was placed on life support, where he remains today, due to acute respiratory failure, caused by possible pneumonia,” Nguyen wrote.

His devastated family has said Marsh never suffered any other serious health problems, and they are in complete shock over his current state.

“We are praying he makes it through this, and although he may suffer ongoing neurological issues and require ongoing mobility rehabilitation, we all want him to recover and be able to spend many more precious years with his wife and son who mean the world to him,” Nguyen wrote.

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