In cases where someone has major brain damage, sometimes other parts make up for the difference. The brain stem is controlling his life functions, so it does make you wonder if some of the other functions we think he may not have may be compensated with the areas he does have? How much is wired into genetics (functional compensation rules?) to redirect functions?
(I don’t know, just wondering).
Good question. I was wondering the same thing. If some compensation might be occurring.
An example in my own family. My grandmother was paralyzed on one side from a stroke. About 8 years later, she started to be able to move her toes on that side, and then her foot and leg. Her fingers also. She regained some feeling on the paralyzed side.
Given enough time, her body compensated and made new connections.