In the late 1980s, when he was 12-years old, Martin Pistorius fell into a coma where he remained in a vegetative state for 12 years. Doctor…
In the late 1980s, when he was 12-years old, Martin Pistorius fell into a coma where he remained in a vegetative state for 12 years.
Doctors in South Africa were not sure what caused his illness, but suspect it was cryptococcal meningitis.His condition grew worse and eventually he lost all ability to move and speak and make eye contact with his family.
Physicians said he would die, but his family proceeded with a routine. Every morning his father would get up at 5 a.m., dress Martin and take him to the care center. At the end of the day, he’d give him a bath, feed him dinner and put him to bed.
His parents set an alarm to go off every two hours to turn Martin’s body so he wouldn’t get bed sores.
It was their life for 12 years.
Today, Martin is able to talk again. He uses a computer to speak and is mobile with a wheelchair. His awareness has fully returned.
In his book, “Ghost Boy: My Escape From A Life Locked Inside My Own Body“, Martin tells what he remembers from those 12 years. He says he thinks he began to wake up about two years into his coma.
He remembers many things from that time, when everyone around him thought he couldn’t hear them and thought he didn’t know what was going on.
“Everyone was so used to me not being there that they didn’t notice when I began to be present again,” he told National Public Radio.
Stuck in his body, without the ability to move or communicate, he felt doomed.
It was especially bad when the care center would sit patients in front of the television all day, to “watch” children’s shows.
“I cannot even express to you how much I hated Barney,” Martin said.
Sadly, Martin also heard his mother tell him, “I hope you die.”
Joan Pistorious feels guilty about this but Martin understands it came from her own desperation and sadness for his bleak existence.
Listen to NPR’s report on Martin Pistorius, excerpts from his book, and their conversation with his parents Joan and Rodney Pistorius.
News
Kelly Khumalo and Arthur Mafokate ‘wedding’: It was new music all along
When images of Arthur Mafokate and Kelly Khumalo started trending on social media a few weeks ago, rumours about a possible romance and a possible marriage between the two musicians spread like wildfire. It was all purely speculative, as no…
‘Mampintsha was never broke’: Babes Wodumo clears the air on lobola claims
‘I can confirm that, as the Simelanes, we received lobola from Mandla and not from Showmax or PAP,’ Babes Wodumo’s manager said. Babes Wodumo and the late Mampintsha. Images: Instagram @viraltrends Award-winning Gqom queen Babes Wodumo has downplayed allegations made…
29-Year-Old Black Entrepreneur Wants to Buy Spirit Airlines to Make it America’s First Black-Owned Commercial Airline
29-year-old entrepreneur Hashim Walters from New Orleans, Louisiana, has officially launched The Latimer Group, an ownership consortium focused on acquiring Spirit Airlines, an iconic brand facing critical financial distress. He says that his mission is to empower African American economic…
What Gogo Maweni Just Did Is So Heart Breaking
The Escalating Drama Between Scoten and Goa: A Deep Dive into a Social Media War In the world of social media, the line between entertainment and personal conflicts often becomes blurred. This is evident in the ongoing drama between two…
SHOCKING 😯 MPUMELELO MSELEKU SHOT AND KIL#ED SOMEONE…||ALLEGEDLY .
The Latest Update on the Controversy Involving Somizi and Mohale In the world of entertainment, the drama surrounding the relationship between Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Motaung has become one of the most talked-about topics. This couple has consistently been in…
Strange Things About Somizi And Mohale That No One Talks About
Strange Things About Somizi and Mohale’s Relationship That People Never Talk About In the world of South African celebrity gossip, one relationship that has sparked both admiration and speculation is that of Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Motaung. The two have…
End of content
No more pages to load
