The name of the American Terry Wallis († 57) will forever remain in medical records as one of the rare cases of a patient who woke up from a coma after almost two decades. Experts and the scientific community were even more amazed by his remarkable recovery.
- American Terry Wallis fell into a coma in 1984 after a car accident.
- Terry was left paralyzed and doctors assumed he would never recover.
- After almost 20 years, he miraculously recovered and started talking again.
- Terry eventually died of pneumonia in March 2022 surrounded by family.
Terry from the US state of Arkansas became world famous after spending 19 years in a coma. He fell into it after a serious car accident just six weeks before the birth of his daughter Amber.
In an accident that occurred in 1984, Terry was carrying two passengers in his pickup truck when it skidded and crashed into a railing on a small bridge. The vehicle broke through the edge and fell into the dry riverbed, which was located approximately eight meters below the bridge. One of the two passengers died in the incident. Terry, twenty years old at the time, was found with serious injuries, unconscious, but breathing.
He surprised the doctors with his recovery
As a result of the horrific accident, Terry became paralyzed in all four limbs and fell into a coma. Within a year, his condition had stabilized, but doctors believed he would never wake up. Despite the bad prognosis, the American miraculously recovered in 2003 and asked his mother for his favorite drink. At first he could only say simple words like “milk” and “mom”, but gradually he started talking again. He was also convinced that he was still 20 years old and it was 1984.
Doctors were surprised that his brain was able to recover on its own from such serious injuries. He later even regained the ability to move some parts of his body, although the extent of his injuries left him permanently handicapped..
Terry’s family called the awakening a miracle and were extremely touched by his recovery. Doctors assumed that the unwavering support and care of loved ones played a key role in overcoming the coma. His story also attracted huge media attention, and he was nicknamed “the man who slept for 19 years” in newspapers and on television..
In January 2022, Terry developed pneumonia and was put on a ventilator at the family’s request. Although he needed specialized therapy, the nearest suitable facility was located in another state and The American was too weak to handle the long ambulance ride.
Despite the best efforts of paramedics, Terry died surrounded by friends and family on March 29, 2022, just a week before his birthday. His loved ones remembered him with touching words: “He liked to enjoy anything at any time. He loved live music, drinking Coke and had a wonderful sense of humor.”
This article comes from the Ringier publishing partner website. The content and data contained in it were taken without editorial intervention.
