Lewis, a koala that caught the public eye after being captured on video while being rescued from the raging bushfire in New South Wales by a brave lady named Tony Doherty, has died at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital where it was being treated.
Delivering the sad news via Facebook, the hospital staff explained that the koala’s burn injuries got worse and "would not have gotten better," thus prompting them to make a decision to put the creature "to sleep."
"The Koala Hospital's number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made", they wrote.
As news.com.au notes, the hospital also thanked the community for their support as the establishment’s GoFundMe page has attracted over $1.66 million in donations by 26 November.
Many social media users seemed upset by the news, expressing their sadness online.
Some also praised Doherty’s efforts to save the koala.