Man wakes after 19 years in coma



ASSOCIATED PRESS



MOUNTAIN VIEW, Ark., July 9 — 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.



Terry’s father, Jerry Wallis, said his son talks almost nonstop now, but it seems as though time stopped for him after the wreck. He still believes Ronald Reagan is the president.

“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.

NON-STOP TALKING





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.

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I read about that last night. It was so sad it had me in tears. It reminded me of the movie "Between Darkness and the Dawn" With Elizabeth Montgomery, where she is in a coma for 20 years. and when she wakes up everything has changed. I'm glad that man came out of his coma, but what makes me so sad is he missed his daughters life. :(

Originally posted by bandito
“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.
Wow.. thats weird.:eek: Im glad he finally woke up. 19 years mustve been a real torture for his family.

cool.

That's sad that he missed everything that went on in those 19 yrs. and what his family must have gone through. :(

Whoa...

That gave me MAJOR goosebumps. Wow. I am TOTALLY speechless reading this. He missed out on EVERYTHING that has happened since 1984...I can't imagine being stuck in 1984! Wow....:( :crying:

he sure has missed a lot

Wow...and it's sad how he missed out on so much. :(

I cant imagine how it would feel to miss that much of your life. :(

Even though he probably missed a lot of good things in those 19 years at least he finally woke up. I can't imagine what that would feel like though.

Even though he missed 19 years of his daughters life, he has the rest of his life to get to know her and be in her life. I think that is really awesome that he came out of that 19 year coma. Its really awesome!

I agree, imagine the thoughts going thru his head, wondering about all that time lost.

Originally posted by bandito
I agree, imagine the thoughts going thru his head, wondering about all that time lost.

Hmmm. Interesting idea for a series.

I'm sure some enterprising TV producer is working on it right now.

;)

I read about that this morning. I can't imagine it. Well look at the bright side; may be sad, but at least he woke up. At least he didn't pass away or lay there for the next 50 years.

whow...he missed ALOT! i am so happy he came back though

Whoa! Thats amazing. Its sad that he missed out on the childhood of his daughter, and most of his young life, but atleast, he is still alive, and finally, after all this time able to enjoy his life again!:)

19 years is a lot of time to miss... It's going to be a lot to take in. I do not envy his feelings when he learns about september 11th and the Iraq war...

I wouldn't mind if it were 1984... FOL was still on, Ratt was riding the charts...and Vanessa Williams gave us the best reason to give up the Miss America crown......:grineyes:

Originally posted by Max Whittaker
19 years is a lot of time to miss... It's going to be a lot to take in. I do not envy his feelings when he learns about september 11th and the Iraq war...

Or the fact Reagan continued his presidency until 1988, Bush Sr. took over 1988-92, Clinton did two terms 1992-2000 and the scandal surrounding him, Bush Jr. taking over in 2000....

It is going to be SO sad when he finally discovers that it's no longer the 1980's anymore. I would feel SO bad knowing I missed the rest of the 1980's, all of the 1990's and miss the turnover to 2000 and the fact we're in another century now. :(

I just can't imagine what it's like to be him. That is just such a horrible feeling. :crying:

It's amazing that he not only came out of his coma but that he can still remember 1984! In a high school anatomy class we were taught that the longer you are in a coma the less brain function you would have. So to be able to speak and ever remember phone numbers is completely amazing. It must have been hard for his daughter. Can you imagine all of your memories of your father is of him in a coma. That would be hard. But it's great that they can get to know each other.

Originally posted by sara
It's amazing that he not only came out of his coma but that he can still remember 1984! In a high school anatomy class we were taught that the longer you are in a coma the less brain function you would have. So to be able to speak and ever remember phone numbers is completely amazing. It must have been hard for his daughter. Can you imagine all of your memories of your father is of him in a coma. That would be hard. But it's great that they can get to know each other.

That is so true...I realized that just now. He is nearly twice the age now than he was when he got into that car accident, so to STILL remember something from half a lifetime ago is truly amazing. I wonder what else he remembers from 1984? It sounds to me like he'll be making a pretty speedy recovery. It's not every day you hear of amazing miracles like this.

1984: Reagan re-elected
1985: Live Aid
1986: Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and Chernobyl; Metallica's "Master of Puppets" hits #30 on the Billboard charts
1987: U2's "The Joshua Tree" hits #1; Iran-Contra scandal; Black Monday on Wall Street
1988: Bush (Sr.) elected
1989: The Cold War ends
1990: Saddam invades Kuwait
1991: Persian Gulf War I; Nirvana's "Nevermind" and Metallica's "Metallica" albums released; Soviet Union dissolves
1992: Rodney King riots; Clinton elected
1993: Waco inferno; Anti-abortion violence
1994: Kurt Cobain kills himself; Nixon and Jackie O. die; OJ trial
1995: Oklahoma City bombing
1996: Metallica's "Load" album released; bombing at Atlanta Olympics; Clinton re-elected
1997: Princess Di killed in crash in Paris
1998: Clinton impeached over Monicagate and acquitted
1999: Black Sabbath reunion tour; Columbine; WTO riots in Seattle
2000: George W. Bush (s)elected
2001: Attacks on New York and Washington DC; war in Afghanistan
2002: Iraq war planned; Eminem becomes greatest thing since sliced bread next next to Britney
2003: Iraq war a stunning success: country trashed, thousands killed, oil saved, world hates us, America becomes empire; Clay triumphs on American Idol.

Welcome to the Third Millenium.

Imagine going for a car ride, and the next time you wake up, 19 years has been deducted from your life expectancy.

that's great that's he's conscious again.:)

That is great!!!!

“It’s kind of peculiar. He wrecked on Friday the 13th and 19 years later he started talking on Friday the 13th,”

What a trip :eek:

This dude is still back in the 80's
WOW... So much has happened since 84'
It's a miracle that his family keept him alive for 19 years.
He is like Austin Powers who was frozen and is now
in the future :D

Im happy for them that he is back and with them again

God,I only WISH I was back in the early 80's - those were some great times,that are gone forever. :crying:

Originally posted by MonarC
“It’s kind of peculiar. He wrecked on Friday the 13th and 19 years later he started talking on Friday the 13th,”

What a trip :eek:

This dude is still back in the 80's
WOW... So much has happened since 84'
It's a miracle that his family keept him alive for 19 years.
He is like Austin Powers who was frozen and is now
in the future :D

Im happy for them that he is back and with them again It is a miracle his family kept him alive. They deserve alot of credit 19 yrs is a long time they must have felt very hopeless at times.

Can you imagine how his daughter felt just seeing him in a coma all her life :( It mush have been very sad... But it has a happy ending.. Im really happy for them

Originally posted by vintagetvgirl
God,I only WISH I was back in the early 80's - those were some great times,that are gone forever. :crying:

I wish I'd been alive in 1984 - I wasn't born until 1985, unfortunately. I would have loved to live through the 80's. :D

Originally posted by PZelda: VICKI!!
I wish I'd been alive in 1984 - I wasn't born until 1985, unfortunately. I would have loved to live through the 80's. :D I lived thru the 80s graduated in 82 I didn't think it was all that great. I would have loved to have grown up in the 50-60s

wow thats a long coma