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Devastated by the news that his girlfriend was going to marry another man, a teenager from a village in Central Java cut off his own penis in a fit of despair.

Any hopes of reattaching the severed member were dashed after the 19-year-old threw the appendage into a well and it could not be found by residents of Bantasari village.

Sugeng Budi Susanto, director of Cilacap General Hospital, said on Monday that it was extremely fortunate that medical personnel were able to save the life of the teenager, who was identified only by the initials AMD.

He arrived at the hospital last Thursday in critical condition from blood loss, Sugeng said. “It was a critical time,” he said. “Cutting off a penis can be fatal.”

Sugeng said that after several days in the intensive care unit, the teenager had been transferred to a standard recovery room, though he was being provided with additional security to ward off the swarm of journalists besieging the hospital.

Sugeng appealed to journalists not to bother the family given the sensitive nature of the injury.

“The patient is in shock over what he experienced,” he said. “Reporters can ask the family about this case, but do not interfere with their comfort.”

Though family members declined to comment, a source confirmed that AMD had cut of his penis after he discovered his girlfriend intended to marry another man.

“The sliced-off penis has not been found,” the source said. “Allegedly, AMD threw it into the well with the intention of committing suicide because he thought nobody would be able to save his life.”

Sugeng said the teenager had still not spoken to anyone about the incident. “He’s still too shocked and embarrassed to talk to or see anyone.”