What are the details of Munira Abdulla’s remarkable awakening. How did her family support her during the coma. What medical treatments contributed to her recovery. What are the implications of this case for long-term coma patients. How common are such prolonged comas with recovery. What can we learn about brain plasticity and rehabilitation from this case.

The Incredible Story of Munira Abdulla’s 27-Year Coma

In a case that has captivated the medical community and inspired hope worldwide, Munira Abdulla, a woman from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has emerged from a 27-year-long coma. This extraordinary event has shed new light on the potential for recovery in long-term coma patients and the importance of unwavering family support.

Abdulla’s journey began in 1991 when she was involved in a devastating traffic accident. At the age of 32, she suffered a severe brain injury when the car she was traveling in collided with a bus. The accident occurred as she was on her way to pick up her son, Omar Webair, from school. In a twist of fate that would shape the next three decades, Abdulla’s maternal instincts may have saved her son’s life while altering the course of her own.

The Accident and Immediate Aftermath

Omar Webair, who was just four years old at the time of the accident, recently shared his recollections with UAE-based newspaper The National. He described how his mother’s quick thinking and protective embrace shielded him from the worst of the impact. “My mother was sitting with me in the back seat. When she saw the crash coming, she hugged me to protect me from the blow,” Webair recounted. While he escaped with only a minor bruise to the head, Abdulla’s injuries were severe and life-altering.

The aftermath of the crash was chaotic, and tragically, Abdulla did not receive immediate medical attention. Hours passed before she was finally taken to a hospital, a delay that may have exacerbated her condition. The severity of her brain injury soon became apparent, and she was transferred to London for further evaluation and treatment.

Understanding the Nature of Prolonged Comas

Munira Abdulla’s case brings to light the complex nature of prolonged disorders of consciousness. But what exactly is a coma, and how does it differ from other states of unconsciousness?

• A coma is a state of unconsciousness where a person is unresponsive to their environment and cannot be awakened.
• It is typically caused by severe brain injury, often resulting from trauma, stroke, or lack of oxygen.
• Comas can last for varying periods, from a few days to several years.
• The longer a coma persists, the less likely a full recovery becomes.

In Abdulla’s case, doctors in London declared her to be in a vegetative state. This condition is characterized by wakefulness without awareness. Patients in a vegetative state may open their eyes and have sleep-wake cycles, but they do not show signs of conscious awareness or intentional behavior.

The Rarity of Long-Term Coma Recovery

Cases of recovery after such prolonged periods of unconsciousness are exceedingly rare. The human brain, while remarkably resilient, typically faces significant challenges in recovering from extended periods of inactivity. Why are such recoveries so uncommon?

• Prolonged lack of sensory input can lead to further deterioration of neural pathways.
• The underlying cause of the coma may continue to affect brain function.
• Muscle atrophy and other physical complications can hinder recovery efforts.
• The longer the coma, the more extensive the rehabilitation required.

Despite these challenges, Abdulla’s case serves as a testament to the brain’s potential for healing and adaptation, even after decades of dormancy.

The Long Journey: Treatments and Care Over 27 Years

Following her initial treatment in London, Munira Abdulla was returned to Al Ain, a city in the UAE bordering Oman. Her care journey over the next quarter-century would involve multiple medical facilities and a range of treatments aimed at maintaining her health and potentially stimulating recovery.

Continuous Care and Support

Throughout her coma, Abdulla received comprehensive care to prevent complications and maintain her physical condition. What did this care entail?

• Feeding through a tube to ensure proper nutrition
• Regular physiotherapy to prevent muscle atrophy
• Consistent monitoring of vital signs and overall health
• Management of potential infections and other medical issues

The dedication of medical professionals and the unwavering support of her family played crucial roles in Abdulla’s survival and eventual recovery. Her son, Omar Webair, remained a constant presence, visiting his mother regularly and maintaining hope for her awakening.

The Turning Point: Treatment in Germany

In 2017, a significant development occurred when the family was offered a grant by the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi. This funding allowed Abdulla to be transferred to Germany for specialized treatment. What new approaches were employed in her care?

1. Surgical interventions to correct shortened arm and leg muscles
2. Administration of medication to improve wakefulness
3. Advanced rehabilitation techniques
4. Comprehensive neurological assessments

These treatments marked a turning point in Abdulla’s condition, setting the stage for her remarkable awakening.

The Miraculous Awakening: A Mother’s Instinct

In 2018, after 27 years of silence, Munira Abdulla began to show signs of consciousness. The circumstances surrounding her awakening are as extraordinary as they are touching, highlighting the power of the bond between mother and child.

According to Omar Webair, the pivotal moment occurred during an argument in his mother’s hospital room. He recounts, “There was a misunderstanding in the hospital room and she sensed I was at risk, which caused her a shock.” This perceived threat to her son appears to have triggered something in Abdulla’s brain, leading to her first signs of responsiveness in nearly three decades.

The First Words

Three days after the initial stirring, Webair experienced a moment he had dreamed of for years. He woke to the sound of his name being called – by his mother. “It was her! She was calling my name, I was flying with joy; for years I have dreamt of this moment, and my name was the first word she said,” he shared with The National.

This emotional breakthrough marked the beginning of Abdulla’s gradual return to consciousness. She became increasingly responsive, regaining the ability to feel pain and engage in some conversations. While her recovery is far from complete, these developments represent a monumental shift in her condition.

The Science Behind Long-Term Coma Recovery

Munira Abdulla’s case has reignited discussions in the medical community about the potential for recovery in long-term coma patients. While her awakening seems almost miraculous, it is rooted in the complex workings of the human brain and its capacity for neuroplasticity.

Understanding Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. This process is crucial in recovery from brain injuries. How does neuroplasticity work in coma recovery?

• The brain can form new pathways to bypass damaged areas
• Existing neural networks can be strengthened through stimulation
• Undamaged parts of the brain may take on functions of damaged areas
• Consistent sensory input and therapy can encourage neural growth

In Abdulla’s case, the years of physiotherapy and care, combined with the specialized treatment in Germany, may have slowly encouraged her brain to rebuild and strengthen neural pathways.

The Role of Emotional Triggers

The circumstances of Abdulla’s awakening – responding to a perceived threat to her son – highlight the potential role of emotional stimuli in coma recovery. Strong emotional connections and familiar voices have been shown to elicit responses in some coma patients, even when other stimuli fail.

This phenomenon underscores the importance of continued interaction with coma patients, even when recovery seems unlikely. Family members’ voices, music, and other familiar sounds may help maintain neural connections and potentially contribute to recovery.

Comparisons to Other Notable Coma Cases

While Munira Abdulla’s case is remarkable for its duration, it is not without precedent. Other instances of long-term coma recovery have been documented, each contributing to our understanding of consciousness and brain function.

Terry Wallis: 19 Years in a Near-Vegetative State

One notable case is that of Terry Wallis, an American man who regained consciousness after 19 years in a near-vegetative state following a car accident. Wallis’s recovery in 2003 was accompanied by the astounding discovery that his brain had apparently regrown neural tissue, challenging prevailing beliefs about brain regeneration.

Jan Grzebski: 19 Years in a Coma

Polish railway worker Jan Grzebski awakened in 2007 after a 19-year coma caused by a brain tumor. His case garnered international attention, not only for the length of his coma but also for his reported shock at the changes in the world, having fallen into unconsciousness before the fall of communism in Poland.

Michael Schumacher: Induced Coma and Ongoing Recovery

While not a case of spontaneous awakening, the situation of former Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher has brought attention to the complexities of coma and recovery. Schumacher was placed in a medically induced coma for six months following a skiing accident in 2013. While he has since emerged from the coma, details of his condition remain private, highlighting the often long and challenging road to recovery.

Implications for Future Treatment of Coma Patients

Munira Abdulla’s recovery after 27 years has significant implications for the treatment and care of long-term coma patients. Her case challenges some long-held assumptions about the potential for recovery and may influence medical approaches and family decisions in similar situations.

Rethinking Long-Term Care

Abdulla’s case underscores the importance of maintaining comprehensive care for coma patients, even when recovery seems unlikely. What are the key takeaways for long-term coma care?

• Consistent physical therapy to maintain muscle tone and joint flexibility
• Regular sensory stimulation to encourage neural activity
• Ongoing medical assessment and treatment of potential complications
• Exploration of new treatment modalities as they become available

Medical facilities and insurance providers may need to reassess policies regarding long-term care for coma patients in light of cases like Abdulla’s.

The Role of Family and Emotional Connection

The circumstances of Abdulla’s awakening highlight the potential importance of emotional connections in coma recovery. How can this insight be applied to patient care?

• Encouraging regular family visits and interaction with the patient
• Incorporating familiar voices, music, and sensory experiences into care routines
• Considering the emotional context of the patient when assessing responses
• Supporting families in maintaining hope and engagement over extended periods

Omar Webair’s unwavering presence and belief in his mother’s potential recovery played a crucial role in her journey. His experience serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of family support in long-term medical situations.

Advancing Research and Treatment

Cases like Abdulla’s provide valuable data for researchers studying consciousness, brain injury, and recovery. What areas of research might benefit from this case?

• Neuroplasticity in long-term coma patients
• The efficacy of various stimulation techniques in promoting recovery
• The potential for targeted drug therapies to enhance consciousness
• The role of emotional and familiar stimuli in brain activation

As medical technology advances, new treatment options may emerge, potentially offering hope for patients previously considered beyond recovery.

The Road Ahead: Munira Abdulla’s Ongoing Recovery

While Munira Abdulla’s awakening is undoubtedly remarkable, her journey is far from over. She has returned to Abu Dhabi, where she continues to undergo intensive rehabilitation. What does her current treatment entail?

• Ongoing physiotherapy to improve muscle strength and coordination
• Speech and language therapy to enhance communication skills
• Occupational therapy to regain daily living skills
• Cognitive rehabilitation to improve mental functions

The focus of her care has shifted from maintenance to active rehabilitation, with the goal of maximizing her functional recovery. However, the extent of her potential improvement remains uncertain, as recovery from such prolonged unconsciousness is uncharted territory.

Challenges in Rehabilitation

Abdulla faces significant challenges in her rehabilitation process. What are some of the obstacles she and her medical team must overcome?

• Severe muscle atrophy from years of inactivity
• Potential cognitive deficits from the original brain injury and prolonged coma
• Re-learning basic skills and adapting to a drastically changed world
• Managing potential medical complications arising from her long-term condition

Despite these challenges, Abdulla’s awakening has already defied medical expectations, offering hope for continued progress.

The Impact on Medical Understanding

As Abdulla continues her recovery, every step of her journey provides valuable insights into the nature of consciousness and the brain’s capacity for healing. Her case may prompt reevaluation of long-held beliefs about the potential for recovery in similar situations.

Medical professionals will closely monitor her progress, potentially leading to new protocols for the assessment and treatment of patients in prolonged states of unconsciousness. The lessons learned from her case could influence medical practices and offer hope to families facing similar circumstances around the world.

UAE woman Munira Abdulla wakes up after 27 years in a coma

• Published

  23 April 2019

Image source, Science Photo Library

Image caption,

Prolonged disorders of consciousness are usually caused by a sudden brain injury

A woman from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who was seriously injured in a traffic accident in 1991 has made a seemingly miraculous recovery after emerging from a 27-year-long coma.

Munira Abdulla, who was aged 32 at the time of the accident, suffered a severe brain injury after the car she was travelling in collided with a bus on the way to pick up her son from school.

Omar Webair, who was then just four years old, was sitting in the back of the vehicle with her, but was left unscathed as his mother cradled him in her arms moments before the accident.

Ms Abdulla – who was being driven by her brother-in-law – was left seriously injured, but last year regained consciousness in a German hospital.

Omar has opened up about the accident and about his mother’s progress following years of treatment in an interview with the UAE-based newspaper The National.

‘She hugged me to protect me’

“I never gave up on her because I always had a feeling that one day she would wake up,” Omar told the newspaper on Monday.

“The reason I shared her story is to tell people not to lose hope on their loved ones; don’t consider them dead when they are in such a state,” he added.

“My mother was sitting with me in the back seat. When she saw the crash coming, she hugged me to protect me from the blow.”

• Fireman’s recovery stuns doctors
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He was unharmed, suffering just a bruise to the head, but his mother was left untreated for hours.

Years of treatment

Ms Abdulla was eventually taken to hospital, and later transferred to London. There, she was declared to be in a vegetative state – unresponsive, but able to sense pain – The National reports.

She was then returned to Al Ain, a city in the UAE on the border with Oman where she lived, and moved to various medical facilities according to insurance requirements.

She remained there for a few years, fed through a tube and kept alive. She underwent physiotherapy to ensure her muscles would not weaken through lack of movement.

In 2017, the family was offered a grant by the Crown Prince Court, a government body in Abu Dhabi, for Ms Abdulla to be transferred to Germany.

There, she underwent a number of surgeries to correct her severely shortened arm and leg muscles, and she was given medication to improve her state, including her wakefulness.

Hospital row

A year later, her son was involved in an argument in her hospital room, which seemed to prompt his mother to stir.

“There was a misunderstanding in the hospital room and she sensed I was at risk, which caused her a shock,” Omar said.

“She was making strange sounds and I kept calling the doctors to examine her, they said everything was normal.

“Then, three days later, I woke up to the sound of someone calling my name.

“It was her! She was calling my name, I was flying with joy; for years I have dreamt of this moment, and my name was the first word she said.”

She became more responsive, and can now feel pain and have some conversations.

She has returned to Abu Dhabi, where she is undergoing physiotherapy and further rehabilitation – mainly to improve her posture when sitting and prevent muscles from contracting.

Cases like Abdulla’s are rare

There are only a few cases of people recovering consciousness after several years – and even then, recovery can be protracted.

It is impossible to predict the chances of someone in a state of impaired consciousness improving, says the UK’s National Health Service.

People who do regain consciousness often have severe disabilities caused by damage to their brain.

One notable recovery case is that of Terry Wallis, an American man who was involved in a car accident when he was 19, and made a dramatic recovery after spending 19 years in a near-vegetative state. It was thought he had been able to re-grow brain tissue.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Former F1 world champion Michael Schumacher was placed in an induced coma after a skiing accident

Former Formula 1 racing world champion Michael Schumacher suffered a head injury in a skiing accident in France in 2013. He was placed in a medically induced coma for six months before being transferred to his home in Switzerland to continue his treatment.

• Michael Schumacher: Coma challenges

How coma victims like Munira Abdulla survive for years

The story of how Munira Abdulla spontaneously woke from a coma after 27 years has shed light on how someone could come back to life after decades of unconsciousness.

Her case is by no means the first, though it is remarkable given the period of time that has passed.

The coma itself – a state of unconsciousness – occurs after a severe head injury or stroke, though can be a result of severe poisoning or a brain infection.

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Patients with diabetes can also fall into a coma if their blood glucose gets out of control.

Most comas do not last for more than two to four weeks.

A patient’s potential for recovery often relates to their score on what’s known as the Glasgow Coma Scale tool, which assesses three areas: eye opening, verbal response to a command and voluntary movements.

A score of one means no eye opening, while four means the patient is able to open their eyes spontaneously.

Doctors say patients who score three to four in the first 24 hours of falling in a coma are likely to either die or remain in a vegetative state.

It is not always clear why some patients spontaneously wake, although doctors are seeing some success in using medication. Amantidine, a drug to treat Parkinson’s has shown promise, as has zolpidem, a sleeping aid.

As past cases have shown, patients often find themselves in a very different world.

Family members may have passed away and loved ones moved on to new relationships.

The most notable cases include:

Terry Wallis

The American, from the Ozark mountains, fell into a coma after suffering a serious head injury in a road accident in 1984.

He was initially diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state, but gradually became minimally conscious, meaning he was occasionally responsive.

On June 11, 2003, he said his first word, ‘mum,’ 19 years after he last spoke.

Doctors studied his brain, showing how it was able to grow new connections, effectively rewiring itself after almost two decades.

Terry Wallis woke to find his fiancee had three children with another man, and that his own daughter was a strip club worker. Getty Images

His personal circumstances shed light on the world coma survivors can be themselves returning to.

Wallis would not have known that the 17-year-old bride he kissed goodbye on the night of his accident would go on to have three children with another man.

And he had to come to terms with the fact that Amber, the six-month-old daughter he left behind, was a 20-year-old strip club dancer when he woke.

Sunny Von Bulow

An American millionaire heiress and socialite. Her marriage to her husband Claus had been difficult, and he was suspected of injuring her, causing her to fall into a coma in 1979.

She recovered, only to enter a second coma a year later in 1980.

Her husband, who stood to inherit her fortune, was twice found guilty in the 1980s of attempting to murder her by injecting her with sedatives and insulin, but was later acquitted on appeal.

She did not wake from the second coma, dying 27 years, 11 months and 15 days later of a heart attack in a New York nursing home.

Elaine Esposito

Esposito holds the record for the world’s longest coma. She went in for a routine operation, the removal of her appendix, as a six-year-old on August 6, 1941.

But she never woke from the general anaesthetic, staying in a coma for 37 years and 111 days, before dying in 1978.

Dubbed ‘sleeping beauty’ by the press, she survived numerous operations while comatose, including pneumonia and measles. Her family even took her to the grotto at Lourdes in France, hoping for a miracle.

Gary Dockery

A US police officer, he was shot in the head while responding to a call in Tennessee in 1988.

He fell into a coma, which he remained in for eight years, but spontaneously woke in 1996 after undergoing lung surgery.

He began talking non-stop and was able to remember the names of friends and relatives, his horses and the colour of his car.

But it did not last long. He fell into a coma again 18 hours later and died the following April, at the age of 43.

Michael Schumacher

The F1 star was placed in a medically-induced coma after suffering a serious brain injury while skiing in the French Alps in December 2013.

Schumacher, a seven-time world racing champion, has never been seen publicly since.

Since his release from hospital he has been treated at his home in Switzerland, reportedly at a cost of tens of millions of dollars.

It is not clear whether he remains unconscious and his family, frustrated by tabloid media intrusion, issue few updates.

But sources have told media he is no longer bed-ridden nor existing on tubes. His family said they celebrated his 50th birthday in January this year.

“You can be sure that he is in the very best of hands,” a statement said at the time.

Ayanda Nqinana

The South African fell into a coma after being severely injured in a car accident in Eastern Cape in 2005.

His doctors agreed to treat him seven years later with a sleeping pill after being persuaded by his wife, who had conducted research into the topic.

Ayanda Nqinana reunites with his son Ayavuya on September 10, 2012 after waking from a seven-year coma. Getty

He regained consciousness after five days of treatment. The case caused a sensation and South African media dubbed the simple pills, Stilnox, the ‘Lazarus drug’.

Another South African, Louis Viljoen, 24, was given the same treatment in 1999, five years after he was hit by a lorry and left in a coma. He awoke 25 minutes later, though medics have cautioned that the treatment is unproven.

Coming out of a coma: held hostage by his own body | Articles

Contrary to what we most often see in feature films, a coma does not always mean a complete “shutdown” of all systems of the human body. In total, there are four degrees of severity of coma – if the first is more like a half-asleep state, and the patient retains the main reflexes, then at the fourth stage a person ceases to be aware of the outside world and react to it, even breathing often stops.

Cases where people spend several days or weeks in a coma are not uncommon. Sometimes doctors put a person into an artificial coma in order to protect the body from negative effects on the brain – for example, after a hemorrhage or swelling. However, prolonged coma poses a much greater threat. It is believed that the longer a person is in this state, the less chance of recovery. A coma that lasts more than a year is sometimes also called a “dead zone”, and loved ones are prepared for the fact that a person will spend the rest of his life in this state.

What people who have come out of a long coma say and how their life has changed after that – in the material of Izvestia.

Another world

The testimonies of those who have been in a coma vary depending on how long the person has been in this state. For example, people whose coma has lasted for several days most often report that upon waking they feel the same as a person who has slept for about 20 hours. They may feel very weak, have difficulty moving, and need to sleep for a long time. Some are not even able to remember everything they saw during this time.

People who have been in a coma for several weeks, months or years after waking up are usually unable to move independently and need a long recovery period. It may be difficult for them to look at the light, and they will most likely need to relearn how to speak and write, as well as deal with memory lapses. Such people can not only ask the same question several times in a row, but also not recognize people’s faces or not remember entire episodes from their own lives.

Body like a prison

Photo: Getty Images/PhotoAlto/Ale Ventura

Martin Pistorius fell into a coma when was 12, and remained in it for the next 13 years. The cause was a neurological disease, the exact nature of which the doctors could not determine – presumably the culprit was meningitis. The boy, who initially complained of a sore throat, very quickly lost the ability to speak, move, and focus. Doctors discharged him from the hospital, warning his parents that he would remain in this state for the rest of his life. At the same time, Martin’s eyes were open, but consciousness and reflexes did not work. The father and mother looked after the child with all their might – every day he was taken to classes in a special group, bathed, turned over at night every few hours to avoid the formation of bedsores.

The worst thing for the boy began after about two years later he regained consciousness, but his speech and movement skills did not return. He could not tell others that he hears, sees and understands everything that is happening around. Relatives, accustomed to his condition, by this moment almost stopped noticing him, and therefore could not guess what changes were taking place in Martin’s mind.

Martin himself later said that he felt locked in his own body: in the group where his father took him, they were shown the same repetitive program for children day after day and he had no way to make it clear that she bored him to death. One day he heard his mother, in despair, wish him dead. However, Martin did not break down – at first he learned to control his own thoughts so as not to fall into depression, after that he re-mastered interaction with the outside world. For example, he learned to determine the time by the shadows. Gradually, physical skills began to return to him – in the end, the aromatherapist who worked with him noticed this, after which Martin was rushed to the medical center to undergo all the necessary tests and begin the recovery period.

Martin is now 39 years old. Consciousness has fully returned to him, as well as partial control of his own body, although he still moves in a wheelchair. However, after coming out of a coma, Martin met his wife Joanna and also wrote the book Shadow Boy, in which he talked about the time when he was locked in his own body.

Coma Dreams

Musician Fred Hersh has received several Grammy nominations and was named Jazz Pianist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2011. Today he continues to give concerts around the world.

In 2008, Hersh was diagnosed with AIDS, against which the musician almost immediately began to develop dementia, after which he fell into a coma. Hersh spent several months in this state, and after coming out of it, he realized that he had lost almost all motor skills. For about 10 months he had to remain bedridden. During the rehabilitation process, the main source of motivation for him was the synthesizer, which Hersh played while in a hospital bed.

Photo: Getty Images/Josh Sisk/For The Washington Post

Almost a year later, the musician managed to accomplish the almost impossible — he achieved a full recovery. And in 2011, based on the experience experienced during his stay in a coma, he wrote the concert My coma dreams (“My dreams in a coma.” – Izvestia). The work includes parts for 11 musical instruments and a vocalist, and also provides for the use of multimedia images. In 2014 the concert was released on DVD.

The longest coma

The American Terry Wallace has been in a coma for the longest time. In June 1984, he and a friend got into a car accident – in a mountainous area, the car fell off a cliff, his friend died, and Terry himself fell into a coma. According to doctors, there was practically no hope that he would be able to get out of this condition. However, 19 years later, in June 2003, Terry suddenly came to his senses.

Soon he began to recognize his relatives, but his memory was limited by the events of 19years ago. For example, he felt himself to be a 20-year-old man, and he refused to recognize his own daughter because the last time he saw her, she was a baby. And, from Terry’s point of view, she should have stayed with him. In addition, Terry suffered from short-term amnesia – he could keep any event in his memory for no longer than a few minutes, after which he immediately forgot about it, or could not recognize the person he had just met. This phenomenon is spoken of by many who have survived a coma for at least a few days, but most often memory problems are of a short-term nature.

Among other things, Wallace physically could not imagine that he had been unconscious for the last 19 years and the world had changed significantly, and because of the change in brain function, he had almost forgotten how to hide his thoughts. Now he literally says what he thinks.

At first, Terry could only speak in fragments, but gradually he regained the ability to speak coherently. He remained paralyzed for life, but fully regained consciousness and the ability to communicate coherently.

After a special study, the doctors came to the conclusion that his brain was able to independently connect the remaining “working” neurons and thus reboot.

RELATED DETAILS

The longest coma in the world with awakening

Translated from ancient Greek, the word “coma” means deep sleep. In this state, a person undergoes physiological decline, loses reaction, reflexes, but continues to breathe and live.

Often the coma ends in the death of the patient. But sometimes miracles happen and there is an awakening. The longest coma in the world with awakening lasted almost 19 years. This case has changed the opinion of doctors about the coma and gives hope to many people.

Table of contents

• 1 Tragic day
• 2 Being in a coma
• 3 Coming out of a coma
• 4 Interesting facts
• 5 Reasons for leaving their coma

90 077 6 Terry Wallis now

Tragic day

It all happened in Stone County, Arkansas. On July 13, 1984, a young farmer and auto mechanic, Terry Wallis, who at that time was 20 years old (born April 7, 1964) decided to take a ride with his friend Chub Lowell in a pickup truck. The car had an accident and fell off the bridge from a height of almost 8 meters.

Pickup was found in a dry riverbed lying on its roof. Rescuers removed Terry, who suffered a head injury and was already in a coma, as well as Chub, with a serious spinal injury, who died a week later.

All of Terry’s internal organs and bones were intact. He received only minor bruises and, most importantly, a small abrasion above his eyebrow. It is likely that it was this blow that brought the guy’s condition to a coma.

• A young farmer and auto mechanic before the tragedy.
• With his wife Sandy.
• A touching photo of Terri in a coma with her daughter, who is less than a year old. He will be able to communicate with her only when she is 20 years old.
• With wife (left) and daughter (right).

Coma

After the accident, Terry was admitted to the local hospital. Doctors gave him a chance and said that if he wakes up within a year, then the probability of continuing a normal life is quite high.

But Terry didn’t come to his senses. Not in a year, not in five years, not even in fifteen.

His parents, Angela and Jerry Wallis, continued to believe in miracles. They went into serious debt to pay for their son’s life support. They did not lose heart, even despite the fact that doctors were already giving disappointing forecasts.

Keeping Terry alive cost about $30,000 a month. He was denied health insurance. The Terry Wallis Foundation was set up, but raised only about $1,000.

Screenshot from the Terry Wallis Foundation website. Now the domain name belongs to another owner.

4 months before the tragedy, he had a wedding. And 6 weeks before the accident, Terry had a daughter, who was named Amber. His wife Sandy remained faithful to him during his three years in a coma. But then she married another man and had three more children.

Terri’s parents did not judge Sandy, but they did describe her in a bad way. Sandy explained her departure by the fact that Amber needs a father, and she herself is not ready to sacrifice her youth for the negligible chance of her husband’s recovery.

Meanwhile, Terry’s parents and other relatives continued to support him in every possible way. They read books to him, turned on radio programs, and talked to him. On every holiday, everyone gathered together in his ward, fed him with festive dishes (ground in a blender), gave him gifts that were laid out on the bed, and rolled around the hospital.

Almost 19 years have passed.

Coma coming out

On June 11, 2003, Angela Wallis was perhaps even happier than when she gave birth to her Terry, because on that day he came out of a coma. All his relatives have been waiting for this for 18 years 10 months and 28 days. That is how long the longest coma in the world with awakening lasted.

Terry Wallis woke up. He has not seen the world for almost 19 years. He recognized his parents, was surprised when they told him that he was married, but then he remembered that he had a daughter, whom, of course, he had last seen only in infancy.

When Amber came to him, he told her that she was not his daughter, as his daughter was 1.5 months old, and an adult girl was sitting in front of him. But later he realized the past tense. Parents showed photos of Amber in different years. In the future, he told his daughter that he must definitely recover in order to come up and hug her, and also that he regrets that he did not see with his own eyes how she was growing up.

Although Terry Wallis was conscious and able to communicate, he suffered from amnesia. He remembered only the most impressive moments of his life. He could listen to a recently listened melody (he liked country music) again, as if hearing it for the first time. From a past life, he remembered how he was engaged in housekeeping on the farm, and also for some time before the fateful trip, he remembered how he was going to go. After waking up, Terry could not move, he could only turn his head to one side.

In addition, after coming out of the coma, Terry lost all tact in conversation and could directly tell a person what he thinks of him, forgot how to lie. So, one day he told a nurse in the hospital that he thinks she is sexy and would like to make love to her.

• Photo with his mother Angela, who cared for him in a coma and after waking up.
• Terry Wallis is in a coma.
• A mother devotes every free minute to her son.
• Grandson, granddaughter, daughter and Terry himself.
• Angela Wallis stood heroically for all 19 years.
• Mother and father.
• Brother and other relatives of Terry Wallis are getting ready for interviews.
• Sandy, wife. In the foreground is a family photo and a marriage certificate.

Wallis lost the ability to feel full. Therefore, it was required to feed him strictly dosed. He could not understand that he had already eaten, for which he could feel resentment towards his relatives, since he believed that he was underfed. Despite a sedentary lifestyle and good nutrition, he did not gain weight.

After the coma, he began to have a negative attitude towards bad habits and scolded his relatives for cigarettes and alcohol. Angela believed that her son, during a coma, communicated with angels and therefore became so correct (besides, he could not lie). He himself said that he was very happy to live and life is the most beautiful thing.

Terry Wallis became famous. His ex-wife Sandy tried to take custody of him with the help of the court in order to cash in on it, as his parents said, but they remained guardians. He starred in the documentaries Bodyshock (2003) and Coma in 2007. His story has become the subject of study for many physicians.

Interesting facts

• The longest coma in the world with awakening was in Terry Wallis and lasted 18 years, 10 months and 28 days, from July 13, 1984 to June 11, 2003. Terry was in a car accident.
• July 13, 1984 – the day of the tragedy of Terry Wallis, it was Friday the 13th.
• In some media, probably for drama, they indicate July 13, 2013 as the date of awakening, in order to write later that he woke up exactly on the day when he crashed his car. But the correct date for Terry’s awakening is June 11, 2003.
• Three years after the onset of the coma, his wife married another man and had a three-year-old daughter with Terry.
• Some sources indicate that Wallis and his friend were drunk at the time of the accident. But relatives claim that the guys did not drink alcohol that evening. They probably could hide this fact so as not to spoil their reputation.
• Some media outlets were talking about Terry’s daughter becoming a stripper. It is not true. Amber has a family – a husband, children and has always led a decent life.
• The Terry Wallis Foundation was set up by the relatives, which raised only about $1,000, while the cost of maintaining life was about $30,000 per month.
• When he woke up, he asked for mineral water.