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A Middle Eastern woman who was left in a vegetative state for 28 years after a car crash has regained full consciousness.
In 1991, Munira Abdulla from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suffered a severe brain injury after a bus crashed into her car while she was travelling home, the Independent reports.
The woman, who was 32 at the time, had picked up her son, Omar, from school. Omar escaped with a minor bruise to the head.
The mom was left in a coma and doctor's reportedly believed she'd never open her eyes again, News.com.au.
After being transferred to a hospital in London, Munira was said to be in a minimally conscious state, meaning she was unresponsive but could still feel pain.
In 2017, the mom was transferred to a German hospital, after the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed, offered to pay for her treatment.
At the facility, doctors gave Munira medication to improve her wakefulness and sleeping patterns.
"Our primary goal was to grant her fragile consciousness the opportunity to develop and prosper within a healthy body, just like a delicate plant which needs good soil to grow," Dr Ahmad Ryll, a neurology specialist who treated Munira said.
To the surprise of doctor's and her family, Munira started showing signs of responsiveness.
"I never gave up on her because I always had a feeling that one day she'd wake up," Omar told The National in a recent interview.
Then last year, Omar was stunned to find his mother awake and calling his name, after a quarrel in her hospital room "caused her shock".
"There was a misunderstanding in the hospital room and she sensed I was at risk which caused her a shock.
"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've dreamt of this moment and my name was the first word she said," he said.
According to local media, Munira is now more responsive and has returned to Abu Dhabi, where she'll receive physiotherapy.
"Now she can tell us where she's feeling pain, and I can have conversations with her if she's interested in the topic.
"She sometimes wakes me up to recite prayers with her. She gives me the topic and once I start with the prayer she continues the lines herself," Omar said.
The 60-year-old can reportedly recite prayers and answer people's questions.
"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're in such a state," said Omar.
"All those years the doctors told me she was a hopeless case, and that there was no point of the treatment I was seeking for her, but whenever in doubt I put myself in her place and did whatever I could to improve her condition."
Sources: News.com.au, Independent, The National
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