A True Story: The Man Who Woke Up After 12 Years

Martin Pistorius fell into a coma at age 12. Though his body was unresponsive, his mind eventually returned—but no one knew. For years, he was trapped in silence, fully aware. One day, a caregiver noticed a glimmer of responsiveness. Through immense effort and therapy, he eventually regained communication. When asked how he survived, he said: “I remembered that I was alive. I decided not to let my mind die just because my body couldn’t move.” That awareness gave him a second life—one he now lives with awe.