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Ark. Man Wakes After 19 Years in Coma
AP via Earthlink ^
| July 9, 2003
Posted on 07/09/2003 5:47:15 AM PDT by Pest
Ark. Man Wakes After 19 Years in Coma
July 9, 2003 07:56 AM EDT
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Ark. - The words began tumbling out - at first just a few nouns and eventually a torrent of phrases.
Terry Wallis, who had been in a coma since a 1984 car accident, regained consciousness last month to the surprise of doctors and the delight of his family, including his mother, who heard his first word in 19 years.
"He started out with 'Mom' and surprised her and then it was 'Pepsi' and then it was 'milk.' And now it's anything he wants to say," Stone County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center social director Alesha Badgley said Tuesday.
His mother, Angilee Wallis, called her son's return to consciousness a miracle: "I couldn't tell you my first thought, I just fell over on the floor," she said.
Terry Wallis, now 39, was riding with a friend in July 1984 when their car left the road and plunged into a creek. Wallis and his friend were found the next day underneath a bridge. The friend was dead and Wallis was comatose.
Wallis' daughter, Amber, was born shortly before the accident, and the coma dragged on for almost two decades. She is now 19 and her dad has said he wants to walk again, for her. He is a quadriplegic as a result of the crash.
"It's been hard dealing with it, it's been hard realizing the man I married can't be there," said Wallis' wife, Sandi. "We all, the whole family, missed out on his company."
The silence ended June 12 when Wallis uttered his first word. He was able to talk a little more a day later and has improved ever since.
Terry's father, Jerry Wallis, said his son talks almost nonstop now, but it seems as though time stopped for him after the wreck. Terry still believes Ronald Reagan is the president.
Terry has asked to speak to his grandmother, who died several years ago, and even recited her phone number - something everyone else in the family had forgotten.
"You see, he's still back in 1984," said Jerry Wallis.
For the Wallis family, Terry's return to consciousness has been a blessing.
Perry Wallis, Terry' brother, said "just to put it bluntly, it was pure hell to see your brother laying there, not knowing if you'll ever talk to him again."
The timing of the recovery also has raised eyebrows.
"It's kind of peculiar. He wrecked on Friday the 13th and 19 years later he started talking on Friday the 13th," Jerry Wallis said.
TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: arkansas; coma
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Got Milk?
1
posted on
07/09/2003 5:47:15 AM PDT
by
Pest
To: Pest
Whatever happens, DON'T let him find out about Clinton.
2
posted on
07/09/2003 5:48:55 AM PDT
by
Physicist
To: All
I'M BACK!!!
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3
posted on
07/09/2003 5:49:06 AM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
(Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
To: Pest
I hope Pepsi gives him some money.
4
posted on
07/09/2003 5:49:10 AM PDT
by
TBall
To: Pest
Terry still believes Ronald Reagan is the president. He's from Arkansas, so imagine the shock when he hears about what Bill Clinton has been up to in the last 19 years.
5
posted on
07/09/2003 5:49:46 AM PDT
by
Koblenz
(There's usually a free market solution)
To: Pest
God bless Terry, Perry and Jerry.
Oh, and Sandi, Angilee and Amber too.
6
posted on
07/09/2003 5:50:53 AM PDT
by
wideawake
(God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
To: Pest
GO TIGERS!!!!
To: Koblenz
Imagine the shock when he finds out what Clinton did to his wife.
To: Pest
Terry still believes Ronald Reagan is the president. In my heart Reagan always will be president...
9
posted on
07/09/2003 5:52:03 AM PDT
by
Drango
(Just 5ยข a day will end pledge drives on FreeRepublic.)
To: Pest
Terry's father, Jerry Wallis, said his son talks almost nonstop now, but it seems as though time stopped for him after the wreck. Terry still believes Ronald Reagan is the president. Cool. This reminds me of Back to the Future.
10
posted on
07/09/2003 5:52:54 AM PDT
by
yonif
To: Pest
Milk and Pepsi. Sounds like a Laverne and Shirley fan. On the plus side, he missed the entire Clinton administration. Seriously, this is heartwarming. This is going to be crazy for him, though. Imagine waking up one day and your daughter, who wasn't even born when you went to sleep is your age, and your wife is your mother's age.
To: Pest
Good thing he doesn't live in Florida. The state would have approved his execution long ago in the interests of his heirs collecting the insurance money.
12
posted on
07/09/2003 5:53:24 AM PDT
by
jwalsh07
To: Physicist
Whatever happens, DON'T let him find out about Clinton. He should log on to Freerepublic, and we can fill him in.
13
posted on
07/09/2003 5:54:10 AM PDT
by
yonif
To: Pest
14
posted on
07/09/2003 5:56:07 AM PDT
by
Puppage
(You may disagree with what I have to say, but I will defend to your death my right to say it)
To: Pest
"You see, he's still back in 1984,"
BBBack in 1984! One year before Back to the Future. He is nature's own time capsule!
To: Pest
Imagine what he missed
1. Breakup of Soviet Union
2. Gulf War
3. Kosovo War
4. 9/11 Terrorist attacks
5. AFghanistan War
6. Gulf War II
7. Challenger blowing up, Columbia blowing up
8. What else?
16
posted on
07/09/2003 5:56:59 AM PDT
by
yonif
To: Pest
The silence ended June 12 when Wallis uttered his first word......"It's kind of peculiar. He wrecked on Friday the 13th and 19 years later he started talking on Friday the 13th," Jerry Wallis said.
He actually started talking on Thursday, June 12th.
17
posted on
07/09/2003 5:59:22 AM PDT
by
jgrubbs
To: yonif
The trouble is he wouldn't know what the internet is either. He's got a lot of catching up to do.
18
posted on
07/09/2003 5:59:32 AM PDT
by
xp38
To: yonif
Makes you wonder what will happen in the NEXT 19 years.
One thing's for sure, it won't be a quiet time.
19
posted on
07/09/2003 6:00:28 AM PDT
by
Guillermo
(Proud Infidel)
To: Pest
"My mullett and high-tops are still in, right?"
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