5 Miraculous Recoveries After Years in a Coma (6 photos)

In 2019, Munira Abdulla, a native of the UAE, woke up in a private German clinic after spending 27 years in a coma. She had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a car crash when her vehicle collided with a bus. Waking up after decades without consciousness is extremely rare, but miraculous cases like hers do happen.





1. Munira Abdulla, UAE

In 1991, 32-year-old Munira Abdulla was involved in a horrific car crash on a highway near Al Ain. Seeing that a collision with a bus was unavoidable, she threw her body over her young son to shield him. The boy escaped with minor bruises, but Munira suffered an open traumatic brain injury and was rushed to a local hospital.

When local doctors realized they could not provide the advanced care she needed, Munira was flown to London. British specialists were also unable to reverse her condition, though they did offer a precise diagnosis: she was in a minimally conscious state—a condition where a patient remains largely unresponsive yet retains sensitivity to pain.



For years, Munira was tube-fed and underwent physical therapy in an effort to spark a recovery, but to no avail. Her outcome might have been very different had Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, not stepped in two years ago. The royal family member funded her transfer to a specialized rehabilitation clinic in Germany, where her condition finally began to improve.

Munira eventually returned to Abu Dhabi to continue her lengthy rehabilitation. After 27 years of immobility, her muscles had severely wasted away, forcing her to relearn the most basic tasks—holding cutlery, speaking, and walking.

2. Jan Grzebski, Poland





In 1988, Polish railway worker Jan Grzebski suffered a catastrophic head injury while coupling two train cars. He fell into a coma and did not regain consciousness until 19 years later. His case is remarkable not only for its length: Jan went under during the era of communist Poland as a relatively young man, only to wake up in a capitalist democracy to discover he had 11 grandchildren.

Jan’s story made headlines around the world as one of the most remarkable awakenings in medical history. However, Grzebski himself later clarified that he was in a deep coma for four years, spending the remaining 15 years completely paralyzed yet aware.

3. Gary Dockery, USA



In 1988, 33-year-old police officer Gary Dockery was shot in the head while responding to a call. Surgeons spent hours saving his life, ultimately removing over 20% of his brain tissue. They were unable to extract the bullet, and Gary failed to regain consciousness after the surgery. Then, in 1996—seven years after the tragic shooting—the officer suddenly woke up and began speaking fluently.

Astonishingly, Dockery retained vivid memories of his life prior to the incident, instantly recognizing his family and grown children. Only the night of the shooting remained a blank. Tragically, his second chance at life was short-lived: Gary passed away a year after his miraculous awakening due to a blood clot in his lungs.

4. Sarah Scantlin, USA



In 1984, 18-year-old college student Sarah Scantlin was struck by a drunk driver while crossing the street. The severe head trauma left her in a coma, on life support for nearly a month. Though doctors managed to stabilize her, Sarah was left with severely limited abilities—she could only breathe on her own and swallow liquid food.

Sixteen years later, a dedicated rehabilitation specialist began working with Sarah, and within a year, she began responding to sensory cues. She initially communicated through vocalizations, and in 2005—20 years after the accident—she finally spoke her first full words. While Sarah never fully regained her physical or cognitive faculties, remaining wheelchair-bound with slurred speech and believing she was still 18, her awakening was hailed as a medical miracle.

5. Terry Wallis, USA



In 1984, 19-year-old Terry Wallis was riding in a truck with a friend when the vehicle veered off the road and plunged into a creek. His friend died, and Terry wasn't discovered in the submerged truck until the following day. He miraculously survived, but sustained severe brain damage. Wallis spent 19 years in a minimally conscious state before suddenly speaking in 2003. His first words were "Mom," "Pepsi," and "milk."

Terry clearly remembered his life before the crash—including the vehicle plunging into the water—but had no sense of how much time had passed. He was convinced Ronald Reagan was still president and was baffled by modern gadgets that had appeared over his two decades away. Though he remained paralyzed, he regained the ability to speak remarkably well.

Wallis had long been considered a lost cause, receiving basic care without active rehabilitation attempts. Neurologists believe his brain managed to gradually rewire itself over nearly two decades, slowly repairing damaged nerve pathways while he lay completely unresponsive.