A family is grieving over the loss of a young father they said died after a tooth infection spread to his lungs.  Vadim Kondratyuk Anatoliyevich, 26, was a father of two little girls and a long haul truck driver.

His wife, Nataliya told reporters his tooth hurt when he left Truckee, California for New York two weeks ago. She said he visited a dentist in Oklahoma, who cleaned his infected tooth and prescribed him antibiotics, but that the infection got so much worse that the side of his face became swollen.  She said Vadim’s brother eventually made the cross country drive out to bring him back home, because he was feeling too weak to drive. Somewhere along the drive they checked Vadim into a Utah hospital. Four days into his stay there, Nataliya said she had a conversation with the doctors that she had no idea was coming.

“The doctor said tonight is the night he’s gonna die, because we did everything we can and nothing seems to work. It’s just the bacteria and the infection keeps growing to his lungs and they can’t clean it out,” Nataliya said.

Kondratyuk’s extended family watched on Monday night as Nataliya told reporters about losing the love of her life. She said that her husband was diabetic, but otherwise healthy. She said they had been together for four years.  “I don’t think you could find a better husband. I thank everybody for his prayers, for his brother, for his friend that dropped me off over there,” Natalyia said.

Kondratyuk’s family set up a memorial website “SUPPORT VADIM KONDRATYUK’S FAMILY” to raise money to transport Kondratyuk’s body across state lines, for the funeral, and for the unexpected burden of raising two little girls alone. By late Friday night, it had over $260,000.

“I know he’s in heaven. He’s a happy person right now. He’s gonna be my angel for the rest of my life and he’s gonna help me through this whole time without a dad and without a husband,” Nataliya said.

If you would like to donate to the family, click here.