Whyalla family pays emotional tribute to Dr Michael Yung after his alleged murder

Disabled Whyalla teen Joseph paid a miracle visit to Father Christmas – 48 hours after the man who saved his life was killed in a brutal and senseless attack.

Joseph Burgess visiting Santa this year after Dr Michael Yung saved his life. Picture: Supplied by family

On Wednesday morning, 17-year-old Joseph Burgess paid a visit to Father Christmas at the Whyalla Library, a milestone his mother Susan feared he wouldn’t make when he was desperately flown to the Women’s and Children’s ICU six months ago.

But Joseph’s life was saved – by a man who, in a cruel twist, would lose his own in a senseless attack in his Gilberton home just 48 hours earlier.

Mrs Burgess is one of thousands of South Australian families touched by Dr Michael Yung, an eminent doctor whose own life was taken after dedicating so much of it to saving others.

“The reason why Joseph is celebrating Christmas with us this year is because Dr Yung helped him in such a critical situation,” she said.

“Joseph is here now because of his care.”

Joseph Burgess, 17, is celebrating Christmas thanks to Dr Michael Yung. Picture: Supplied by family

The Whyalla mother said Joseph, who has complex disabilities and is non-verbal, had been rushed to ICU three times in the past two years – and Dr Yung had “held her family’s hands through every step” of their terrifying journey.

“He was such a friendly, approachable person who you could ask the difficult questions – we’d arrive straight from Whyalla to the ICU and he would sit us down and talk us through (Joseph’s) treatment, care plan and chances of survival,” Mrs Burgess told The Advertiser.

“In our darkest moments (Dr Yung) was there.”

Mrs Burgess said she had been left heartbroken by Dr Yung’s death, which she said had left a hole in the hearts of not only his loved ones, but the entire state.

“I said to my husband: ‘What happens next time Joseph gets sick?’,” she said.

“It’s devastating, he helped us walk through the journey and that was the sort of person he was … in a difficult situation, he made life easier to cope with.”

“He was so appreciated and so loved by so many.”

Dr Michael Yung was allegedly murdered in his Gilberton home.

One of South Australia’s most eminent doctors, dozens of families have paid tribute to Dr Yung in the wake of his death. Picture: SA Health

Dozens of tributes were shared by families impacted by Dr Yung’s care, describing him as an “amazing person” who walked them through some of the hardest times of their lives.

“An amazing person (has been taken) away from not only his loved ones, family, friends and colleagues, but … from sick children and their families,” mum Sara Smith wrote in a social media tribute.

“My son and I had the honour of having Dr Michael Yung in our lives in some of the hardest and darkest times in my child’s life.

“This amazing, wonderful human could take away our fear and make us more than at ease.”

Mother Sarah Copeland said Dr Yung had saved her daughter Peyton’s tiny life at just 13 days old after she contracted neonatal sepsis with the onset of meningitis.

“It was such a traumatic time … but Dr Yung asked and facilitated being involved in the study of a new method used in my daughter’s surgery,” Ms Copeland said.

“Thank you for saving our precious Peyton.”

Obstetrician Dr Preetam Ganu said Dr Yung had been her husband’s “colleague, mentor and friend” as well as an “amazing researcher, person and doctor” who had influenced almost a generation of doctors in Adelaide over his 23 years at the WCH.

“I don’t have words to express the shock and sadness … what a tragic loss for the community,” she said.