Ark. Man Wakes After 19 Years in Coma

AP via Earthlink ^ | July 9, 2003

[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.

[kellynla]

Great story. But just so I understand for my own information, there must have been one heck of a cost involved here. Who paid? Is the patient and his family responsible or did medicare or some other source pay for the care???

[RonF]

Yeah, I know, Reagan's not dead. Instead, he's got a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone. But I couldn't pass up the old joke.

[jgrubbs]

Somebody better let him know that he can't take his swiss army knife to the airport anymore.

[Gil4]

You were right about DonQ the first time. I think you need to retract your retraction (if you can do it without sounding like Al Gore.)

[jgrubbs]

As far as Terry Wallis knows, this is a high tech computer system. The top of the line! The First Macintosh Computer was introduced by Apple Computer, Inc. on January 24, 1984.

[jgrubbs]

If you were to buy a new computer in 1984, you could expect the following for $6700:

IBM AT (Advanced Technology)
4.77 MHz
64 KB Ram
1.2 MB Floppy Drive
Color Monitor
20 MB Hard Drive

[Cooter]

How's that P.O.S. Governor Clinton doin'?

[Eala]

8. What else?

Internet.

[Grampa Dave]

The lucky devil missed two terms of the Clintoon and $inator Hildebea$t Clintoon being sworn in as NY's wide track junior $inator.

[Future Snake Eater]

No, he saw "Return of the Jedi" since that came out in 1983. I bet he'd be blown away by the prequels!

[TheRightGuy]

IBM AT (Advanced Technology)
4.77 MHz
64 KB Ram
1.2 MB Floppy Drive

The slowest 286 ran an at 6 MHz not 4.77. Check it out.

I'm also pretty sure the 1.2 MB FDD came along quite a bit later.

[Vesuvian]

From what I gather, the family had to pay all costs, although I'm not sure, the article wasn't clear. But it does seem to say that being unable to afford a brainscan, he never got one.

Compare to this article posted by DennisW

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/941838/posts

Group joins bid to keep (illegal im)migrant in Stuart hospital ($1,000,000 spent)

[SerpentDove]

That was my FIRST thought:

"Lucky guy. He missed the Clinton years."

LOL

[krb]

Good catch!

[SerpentDove]

>>Show him a picture of Michael Jackson.<<

Then he voluntarily goes into another coma. LOL

[Redleg Duke]

At least he missed the Clintons!

[Louisiana]

Rip Van Winkle bump

[Labyrinthos]

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.

New York would have approved the execution just to collect the death tax.

[varina davis]

Maybe he was just trying to wait until the Clintons were gone.

[Labyrinthos]

8. What else?

The greatest bull market that Wall Street has ever known.