When this boy woke up from a five-year coma, everyone was happy. But as soon as he saw his mom, he screamed and asked her to leave. Then he told the doctor something horrifying about the woman.
Gary and Tina were a beautiful and loving couple. They had a peaceful and happy home, but their lives became a living hell when their son Dave suddenly fell sick. He started having terrible headaches, sleepless nights, and fatigue. Within a few days, his condition worsened, and his parents rushed him to the hospital. A few days later, he was diagnosed with encephalitis, an inflammation of the active tissues of the brain caused by an infection or an autoimmune response.
Despite being administered proper care, Dave’s health didn’t improve. Soon enough, he lost his mobility. As days passed, his condition worsened, and he fell into a coma. Gary and Tina were devastated. Sadly, all they could do was watch their son lie helplessly on the hospital bed.
Tina couldn’t understand why such a tragedy would befall her son. “For heaven’s sake, he used to be energetic and healthy, and then out of nowhere, he had fallen into a coma.” All of this affected her mentally and physically. She started losing weight and lost interest in activities that used to give her joy.
Gary, on the other hand, was resilient. He met up with different doctors and consultants in hopes of finding a solution to his son’s condition. Sadly, all his efforts proved abortive. Months passed by, yet Dave remained in a vegetative state. He was only seven years old but was going through hardships that most adults never even get to experience in their whole lifetime.
While the couple was hoping things would get better, the doctor called them into his office one day and told them that Dave would remain in a coma for the rest of his life. To make matters worse, he told them nothing could save the boy and advised them to take him home and hope for a miracle.
Have you ever experienced helplessness? That terrifying moment when you can’t even save or defend yourself or loved ones, even when you’re dying? To this was exactly how Dave’s parents felt when they heard the doctor’s words. Left with no other option, they took him home and cared for him. Trust me; it was exhausting and excruciating.
Five years later, Dave was then 12 years old, which meant he had spent 5 years of his life in that horrifying state. Was there any hope left for him? Everyone wondered. Despite all this, Gary refused to give up hope, and he continued taking care of his son. Each morning he sang for him and stroked his hair gently while shedding tears.
“Son, if you can hear me, I need you to fight. Mommy and Daddy need you. Please keep fighting, baby. We love you so much.”
Unfortunately, Tina wasn’t as resilient as her husband, and she became a shadow of her former self. She wasn’t productive at work, so she was laid off. She cried morning and night and became aggressive towards everyone, especially Gary. She took out her pain and frustration on him.
One night, Gary got angry with her. “You need to get a hold of yourself. You’re not the woman I married. When was the last time we had a good time together? When was the last time we ate together? You have changed!” he yelled.
“Yes, I have changed. That’s what happens when your son has been in a coma for five years. I hate it. I hate my life. I’m tired,” Tina yelled back.
The duo used to be a loving and fun couple. They understood each other. But ever since Dave’s health worsened, they were always at loggerheads. Sometimes they went to bed without saying a word to each other.
Soon enough, Tina started being resentful towards her son. She felt his illness was taking away the joy and happiness they once had as a family. “Why won’t he just wake up? Doesn’t he know how much it hurts to sit and wait?” she would ask her husband.
One day, Tina sat on her bed reminiscing. She thought about the days they all ate together, went on vacations, and held hands on the street. She remembered the laughter, the joyful tears. But now, all that was gone, all because of Dave. At that moment, she wished she could turn back the hands of time. She was tired of crying, waiting, and hoping. She wished her son would wake up right away. She was tired of it all.
With these thoughts in her head, Tina lost control of her emotions. She jumped down from her bed and went to Dave’s room. She looked at him scornfully, and with tears in her eyes, she said terrible words to her dear son. If only she knew those words would demoralize him. If only she knew she would later regret them with all her heart.
After saying those words, Tina ran back to her room and cried her soul out. She even vowed not to ever step foot in Dave’s room.
Then one night, Tina lost control of herself again, and she tried to take her own life. “It hurts so much; I’m tired,” she told her husband after he had successfully stopped her from harming herself.
During this difficult period, Gary was there for his wife and often advised her, “The journey towards a happy ending isn’t always rosy. But whatever is worth fighting for is definitely worth the stress and effort. Let’s keep fighting; I’ve got your back.”
Unfortunately, Tina’s mental health worsened, and her husband took her to the hospital. She was admitted, and with the help of a psychologist, her mental health improved. Afterwards, Tina became much more stable, and she and her husband rekindled their old flame. Tina also got a new job, and she gave it her best.
Tina and Gary supported each other and dared to be hopeful that their son would recover. It didn’t matter if it took one day or a hundred years for Dave to come out of his coma; they had made up their minds to wait.
The couple employed a nanny, Emily, to look after their son. Emily was also a family friend, and she took good care of Dave. A few months after Emily started working for the family, something unbelievable happened.
Emily was cleaning Dave’s room when she suddenly heard a faint sound. “Who’s that?” she asked, but no one responded. So she continued sweeping. A few seconds later, she heard the same groan. But that was when she realized that Dave was the one making the sounds. She rushed towards him, and a few seconds after she got there, the boy tried to speak. Then he opened his eyes and closed them again.
Seeing this, Emily screamed at the top of her lungs. She couldn’t believe her eyes, and she was overjoyed. She paced around the room as she eagerly waited for Gary and Tina to return from work. As soon as they returned, an excited Emily told them everything, and they rushed to Dave’s room.
“Baby, are you there?” Tina asked, and at that moment, Dave opened his eyes, looked in her direction, and closed his eyes again. The couple couldn’t believe their eyes, and they rejoiced. Wasting no time, they rushed the boy to the hospital.
The doctors gave Dave intravenous medications and other supportive care. Within a few weeks, he was finally able to talk, and that was when something unexpected happened. As soon as they saw his mother, he screamed and asked her to leave at once.
“Baby, it’s me. It’s mommy,” she said, but Dave screamed harder and shouted at her to get out. Gary rushed to his wife, hugged her, and took her outside. Dave and his doctor were the only ones in the room, so the doctor gently asked them why he didn’t want to see his mom.
The boy’s response was horrifying. “My mom hates me, and I don’t like her anymore either,” he said. Then he told the doctor that while he was in a coma, he was conscious of everything that was going on. So he heard his mom say terrible things about him. “Mom hated me, and she wanted me to die so she and dad could be happy again,” he confided in the doctor.
The physician told Gary and Tina everything that their son had said. Hearing the doctor’s words, Tina’s eyes stung with tears, and she bitterly regretted her words. She was so embarrassed to face her son. So every morning, she sent him handmade cards with the words “I’m sorry” written on them. After doing that for a week, she decided to apologize in person. She and Gary went together, and they asked their son for forgiveness. Gary also explained that Tina meant none of those words and she was only going through a lot at the time.
Dave moved closer to his mom, and with tears in his eyes, he said, “Mommy, I forgive you.” Then he thanked his parents for the support they had given him over the past few years. A month later, Dave was discharged from the hospital. He couldn’t walk yet, so he was placed in a wheelchair. But his doctors assured him that he would be back on his feet in no time.
Dave’s parents gave him all the support he needed. Once again, they were a happy family. Over the next few months, they tried to take back everything that the time stole away from them.
I’m glad that despite the challenges, regrets, and betrayals, this family came out stronger. What do you think about this story?
