This is why as a nurse i always talk to my unconscious patients like they are aware. You never know when they are infact trapped. And besides people deserve that dignity even if they are no longer aware.
As a nurse too this is also why I will make sure their TV is on, and at least a dim light is on. To make sure they have stimulation at all times so they aren't just trapped in a dark silent room
My dreams are commonly like that, and they feel horrible. I see things happen but can't react, or my reactions are just too sluggish. Must've felt awful
Sometimes I have dreams like where I'm in my own bed,but I can't move art all.idk if it's sleep paralysis cause there's no demons,but I'm paralyzed in those dreams and it's awful. So many times occur where I feel myself moving, but when I see my arm it's still in front of my face. Yeah, it sucks.
@@Keelmangolorinecase just yesterday I saw a dream in a ship, with someone coming to attack. Imagine finding yourself in an awsome action movie, only to realise that you can't move yourself more than an inch every second. I don't remember the last one which I couldn't at all move. But I'm certain that I had one. I Remember the feeling
I haven't had dreams like that, but I have had at least 2 moments in my life when I woke up I couldn't move my body at all, i could move my eyes but nothing else. After some time had passed I could slowly start moving my body again. It was almost like my mind was awake, but my body was still asleep. It was pretty scary.
It cost nothing to be kind to other people. We don't need to be kind thinking that we're saving somebody's life, just be nice, say thank you if someone hangs the door, beep the honk to thank a space on the other lane..those things makes life so much nicer
When my dad was in a coma for a month after his aortic dissection, my family took turns visiting each day. This was during covid, so he could only have 1 visitor each day. We each brought a book and would read to him every day, just in case he was still in there. When he finally woke up and could talk to us again, he said that he remembered all of us reading to him and looked forward to when each of us would visit, though he couldn't express it at the time. He has recovered and is back to his usual self.
Did he remember what you read for him? I'm glad your dad has returned to his normal self. Btw you and your family are so strong and supportive by working together to visit him. I'm sure it would be too tiring and heart-breaking for only 1 person to do that. He's strong cuz you and your family stand by him strongly 😊
@@FarayukiDiro Thanks! He remembers most of what we read to him during that time, although the details are fuzzy for him. The way he put it, it was like he was looking at a wall of panels at all times. He would hear us talking and reading to him, and a panel would occasionally open up so he could see for brief periods, then would close as soon as he tried to reach through the open panel. Strange stuff.
No. He just didn't had no choice. The parents are really satanic and selfish to hold him there. I won't stay in silence any more! It's time we start saying things EXACTLY as they are!!!!
I cried listening to the end of this. As I'm struggling with disability that's getting worse but still having all of my cognitive ability, I couldn't even begin to imagine how hard this must have been for him to go through and to hear his mom say that. I cried not because of the suffering he went through, but because he was finally being able to be treated like a human being. I know that people who DO have limited cognitive function are abused by their caretakers all too often, and it's just so heartbreaking bc no matter what cognitive function you have, you still deserve to be treated like a human being with basic dignity and respect. I'm just so glad he was able to be seen, and how amazing that must have felt to finally be heard and to have a big part of his life back. I'm so glad to see him thriving!
It's thanks to Martin that kids in my school I went to had equipment that can help them communicate. I heard about the story about Martin and I was at my special ed school. Somebody you even worked with Martin came to the school to educate the higher functional kids about his disability in which he's now helping others with the same thing. So to Martin. Thank you. You gave voices to the voiceless
Former coma patient here: yes, please talk to us! Odds are that we are there! My reality was very distorted when I was aware of it, but I was still able to hear what people were saying. I dreamed the entirety of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as my dad read it to me. I couldn't communicate past the ventilator, and the "I have no mouth and I must scream" aspect hits home pretty hard. I still had a sleep/wake cycle and dreamed really strange things, but I was there, and I try every chance I get to tell people that showing up when someone is in the hospital is the absolute highlight of their time there, hope is a powerful medicine to aid recovery.
10+ years of his family pushing to keep him alive is honestly impressive, most people will never realize how expensive and insanely stressful it was for them to hold onto hope and follow through with it..... in alot of places he woildve been for lack of a better description "abandoned" for the end to come quickly without care
Its not really a coma, you are unconscious and you have almost no arousal in a coma. Vegetative state is when you are partially aroused but not very concious. Locked in syndrome is when you are paralyzed, but fully concious and fully aroused like you are wide awake
brew the way that you talk about things makes me feel so happy. im disabled and my husband is as well and to hear you say "martin is more than his illness, and he isn't a tool that able-bodied people get to use to feel inspiration or pity," was more than i expected. i hope other content creators who cover stories like this learn from how you do it. it's respectful, informative, and most of all, kind. thank you.
I have PTSD and sometimes dissociation makes me lose the ability to move, speak or even open my eyes. Then I'm kinda caught up between flashbacks, an entirely different world that is basically just a gigantic tunnel of light, but also reality. My awareness of my surroundings always comes back first. It can take me hours to get out of that state and it just feels terrible. However, it feels even worse, when there are people around me, who could help me out of it (mainly by holding ammonia sticks to my nose or using other strong stimuli) but don't get what is going on, even though they know of my disorder. If it happens while I'm laying in bed, everyone would just assume, I was sleeping, while on the inside I'd be screaming for help. Still, I cannot imagine what this man has gone through. The woman who noticed that he was concious is a heroine. Try to pay attention to the "little things" and maybe you'll become one too someday.
That's INSANE! I'm sorry you deal with that intensity. I have PTSD from nearly 2 decades of severe trauma, but in no way do I experience that. I really hope things get easier to manage for you. I would never want to go through hours of that. What I got is intense enough, thank you. Good luck with the endeavor.
I honestly don't blame his mom. I do wish someone had been more aware of the condition of the care home but... They didn't know if their son was alive for lack of a better word. Like brew said, to them, he probably died years ago. The fact that they kept hope through 12 years, cared for him, and put everything (including time, and money, etc) they had into it is frankly impressive.
Your conclusion at the end of this was incredibly beautifully worded, that's exactly what we should be looking for in the story! I truly appreciate you finding the story that way, left me with a big smile on my face!
I work with people who use eye gaze and a program called Unidad. The Eyegaze tracks eye movement allowing these people to communicate and form entire sentences just through their eye movement. Its exciting to see a channel like Brew putting this kind of information out, we need to normalize the usage of alternative augementative devices.
I work with residents in a group home who are very similar to Martin, some of our residents use a Tobii device that tracks their eyes so we can have full conversations!! But even without the Tobii I have full conversations with my residents, even our residents who cannot communicate I still talk with them! Love all my residents, thank goodness Martin was found out to be lucid! I cannot imagine the torture of people thinking you’re mentally gone and not talking to you
Martian’s story reminds me of Metallica’s song “One” about a soldier who was blown up by a land mine, lost both his arms and legs, his eyesight, his hearing and his ability to talk. He begs God to take him. It’s a similar tragedy that Martin lived through. Fortunately, someone saw that he was consciously aware. It seems that, eventually, he was able to live happily ever after. I wonder if he had PTSD or any kind of traumatic after effects.
Similar in concept to a japanese story, Imomushi,about a soldier that gets mutilated by a mine,and whose wife is forced to care for. It is more of a thriller though.
Martin's story is amazing, and I think it teaches us a tremendous amount about the nature and form of consciousness. I'm going to have to read his book. I am very curious about the emotions he felt while being locked in... people who experience total facial paralysis are known to follow a very specific pattern of losing the ability to feel anger, then losing the ability to remember what it felt like to get angry, then losing the ability to recognize anger in other peoples faces. It seems to me that he would have lost almost all emotional tone (which would probably be a mercy in his condition) but he clearly retained some, or maybe substituted some with more intentional and thought-driven (rather than physically trained responses which is what emotions are) patterns.
i’ve heard about a different lis case, the parents let their daughter rot and melt into the couch, they wouldn’t feed her or anything. it was really bad and so upsetting knowing that she was alive all those years just watching herself rot away and her parents didn’t care and did nothing about it. :( i’m so grateful for martin’s parents for getting him help and staying strong all those years no matter how gut wrenching it must have been for them.
To be fair, not everyone is the same and they might have given in to despair or even apathy a lot sooner. It's a crying shame if they didn't at least ask the state to assume responsibility for taking care of her, though.
@@jnharton they just thought she was being lazy and stubborn the video is called something like “the girl who melted into the couch” if you’re interested in hearing about her story,,her name is Lacey Fletcher
I would have liked to have heard more about him recovering his mobility. Looks like he is still in a wheelchair but is able to physically interact a lot more.
@@pinheadlarry2921 HE does have a Ted talk but he doesn't go into detail about his recovery. He can now move his face to make expressions and head movements and he can use a text to speech program very well, he's in a wheelchair but he is able to communicate and function much more independently. I don't know if he was already recovering physically , if he got physiotherapy or if working on the text and symbol to speech en-vigored his whole body (mind to matter, new hope to new strength )
I used to have night terrors with sleep paralysis where i was partially awake and could hear what was going on around me but couldn't move, speak, or open my eyes in addition to auditory hallucinations which was a very disturbing and frightening experience. I can't imagine going through something similar to that for 12 years, my mind would simply break and I don't think I'd come back from it.
I was able to move my legs in sleep paralysis but I couldn't move my arms at all. It was very strange. I tried to go back to sleep and I fell asleep so fast.
Omg. I thought I was the only one who had that! It's the most annoying thing in the world lol. To try to avoid sleep paralysis, I listen to an audio book. It really helps!
When I have sleep paralysis I can only open my eyes for a few minutes, but im fully aware of my surroundings. It's terrifying to me. I can't imagine 12 years.
Thank you for telling Martin’s story with such compassion and humility. And especially thank you for reminding your audience that people with disabilities are not ‘inspiring’. We are living our lives as well as we can in communities that often don’t see us. With few exceptions, we don’t want *your* admiration, we want *your* acceptance and *your* capacity to include/advocate for/ support those disabled people you know, you see, you hear about in your communities. Our impairments, our medical issues, our pathologies are not the disabilities. The disability comes from being unseen, unrecognised, unable to participate in community life… This story, and the sensitive retelling of it highlights this. Thanks Brew.
Really glad to see his story covered so well!!! I saw Martin’s Ted Talk years ago and read his autobiography. So glad u talked about not using his struggles as inspiration, but the love for humanity he kept through it all. That was really driven home to me by his book, and was a really good and needed message for me in my angsty teen years.
When I finally saw his picture at the end I burst out with joy seeing the glimmer in his eyes and the most beautiful smile! I’m so glad they didn’t give up on him! ❤
You're telling me they never thought of telling him to look in a right-left-right kind of sequence as to signal that he could hear them? Isn't that the first thing anyone would do, to try and reestablish communication?
Even he says he was unaware for a big period of time, I think during that time they stopped looking. At some point he regained the ability along with his awareness to move his eyes. It seems like he slowly began to interact with the world a little bit more at a time!
Thank you for mentioning that part at the end about people seeing him as a source of inspiration for the able bodied. People often act as though those with disabilities are some prop to oooh and ahhh at and feel pity for - we don't want your pity. We just wanna feel like we're on the same level as you.
3 years out of nursing school I worked on a step down unit. We had a patient that had been in a motorcycle accident and was in a coma. While in the coma we all took turns caring for Brian, talking him through the process. He was transferred to a rehab facility shortly after transferring to our floor. Eight months later he walked onto our unit! He made a near full recovery. He needed assistance with walking but he was walking. You never know what could happen, kindness and empathy go a long way.
Wow, this story is so incredibly heartbreaking. I can't even imagine how depressing it must have been for Martin to be literally trapped inside his body for 12 years. I am so, so happy that he encountered an angel, who was instrumental in saving his life and getting him the help that he so desperately needed. Martin, God bless you and your beautiful family. Lots of love
Martin's story is so encouraging. I suffer from a disorder and im from south africa. Disablities dont make you less human. Ableism is a huge problem in our society.
I think I have something in my eye. That makes me realize I'm doing the right thing when I talk to disabled people like I would anyone else. I know some people have a working mind but their bodies don't allow them to express themselves properly. Like I tell myself everyday, like a mantra: "We are all human." Life is hard for all of us, so be kind to one another.
@@stevelansfordsaveukraine8751 Well you can watch it but please do not google the pictures of that incident, it's traumatizing and i shaked all night not being able to sleep or I am just overreacting, but please dont
As someone who gets sleep paralysis episodes, i cannot even imagine how Martin went through this hellish experience. I have had the same experience as him while having a sleep paralysis episode,as a kid it was like everlasting even if it was for less than a minute it felt like im trapped and wished as if i should scream but it wasn't of any use, my whole body couldn't move excluding my eyes. Over the years these episodes have gotten short and sometimes they appear only when im Dreaming but if it ever happens when im in an awakening state i usually can control it now thankfully..... I wish martin best in life and godbless
@@SMCwasTaken i don't see hallucinations like some people suffering from sleep paralysis, well if im in a dream while having SP, I'd be awake in the dream and whatever i fear ,takes shape innit
@@SMCwasTaken I'd rather see a silly demon hallucination then feel like I'm about to choke on my own spit. For whatever reason, I only get SP when on my back. Sucks too, since I find it a comfortable position, so I usually only sleep on my sides.
I've had sleep paralysis while I was very ill once and all I wanted to do is shut my bedroom door cause the hallway light was on and I couldn't move at all and it was horrible. It lasted for roughly 6 hours from when I went to sleep till I woke up. It was terrifying so I can't imagine others having this for so many years
When people speak about Hell, this is it. From the end, it seems as though he continued regaining use of some of his motorskills, but this poor guy. 12 years... Between 13 and 25. And that's not suddenly waking up either, that's a decade more work, but did anyone find out what neuro-degenerative condition/disease that caused this? That is a fate worse than anything, and as a dad myself that terrifies me. I always try to treat every living thing, no matter the understood perception of intelligence, with respect and care, such as dogs etc, because you should never assume that any life is beneath you, or incapable of thought. How did the parents not notice the eye contact? I would have spent the first few months after his last words, looking into their eyes to see if they seemed there or not. You can't blame them, but I'd never give up. I'd try everything and anything.
This video is incredible. The way you speak about his disability and how able bodied people shouldn’t take his story as inspiration just because he’s disabled really spoke to me as a disabled person. Thank you so much for your compassion towards disabled people like this, and saying that
Ableism is something that most people don't even know exists. THANK YOU for pointing out that Martin is not here to be pitied or used to make able bodied people feel good about themselves. He is inspirational because of what he has overcome and accomplished.
Im a cna, we have a client at my job that very rapidly declined and she no longer spoke when I got back from my leave, besides once in a while, where she would utter a word or two but that was about it (or so i was told, I was gone for 6 months.)When I came back from maternity leave I looked her in the eyes and told her a joke and she laughed and said “ yup” which didnt really make sense to what I was saying but its was still good to hear her talk, before I had left she was still walking around and talking. My friend just stared at me open mouthed and said, “did she just laugh and say something?” And I said yeah why? She told me she hasn’t heard her laugh in months and that she very rarely talks if at all anymore. (she also has dementia.) At this point I had interacted with her many of times where she would respond and/or laugh so I didn’t think anything of it. She then asked me what I did to get her to respond and I said, “nothing really I just looked at her (in the eyes), gave her a big smile and then said “hi nance how are we today? and then said my joke. (she has a wonderful laugh and sense of humour). Eye contact is INCREDIBLY important, especially when someone has a disease that takes over their brain. You might assume that just because someone doesn’t respond or even look at you that they aren’t “there”, but they are, and they might not understand much of whats going on at times, but they are still in there, and if you take the time to really look at someone, you will see it. And even if they say something that doesn’t make sense, if they are talking or communicating at all, they are trying their best to communicate back, so just go along with it, try and make them laugh or smile, treat them like a person, they deserve respect and compassion just as much as anyone else. I am one of the only people at my job that can get her to laugh or respond sometimes, eye contact is so much more than just looking at someone.❤
5:40 I experience this quite often, a lot of times already, and still do... obviously I'm not in a coma or anything, but my eyes would open while sleeping, and "see" the real world while my body is completely asleep. Whenever I sleep on the family couch, I'd often see family members walking by, while I dream that I call out to them, even shout, yet no one will notice.
@@therealslimshady6763 ^ At least you can see, my eyes are jammed shut and I can't move or breathe. Imagine being awake, suffocating and being unable to move your body or perform basic breathing functions.
@@Delimon007 sleep paralysis is different for everyone. Some people even see and hear things. Some are not just paralyzed, but feel some form of pressure.
if i was the parents or the caretaker i'd be fkn horrified to know the boy has potentially been locked inside for more than a decade. that sounds like a trauma that i'd never ever wanna experience even if i can have the wealth of bezos martin has my utmost respect
I heard something about this several days ago and I literally said to myself “I wonder if Brew will make a video about this” I guess that was a bit of foreshadowing
I am genuinely impressed about hearing Martin's story, and that one nurse is definitely a saint for getting him through such a harrowing experience. And good for him for living about his life moving forward, you love to see a good ending!
God bless that therapist for noticing that he was still in there, she was Godsent. I saw a recent video of him and he's doing so well now, wheelchair bound and using a computer to talk but he can laugh and smile and move his head and arms now
i have Stiff Person Syndrome, it shares parallels with this. When they couldnt figure out what was wrong, LIS was one of the things they thought was happening.
Indeed the fact that so many amazing patients can never have these due to the money not being around. I can't even Imagine 😢. I really wish i could help them.
It needs to be more physically robust and have more extensive functionality though. And someone in his condition can't just reach out and precisely press a membrane button. The price does seem a little crazy, but in the grand scheme of things it's pretty inexpensive.
I can only hope that his mother apologized for saying such a horrid thing. Imagine wishing death upon someone, not knowing they can hear you. Even if he couldn't, that's just cruel.
"everything on earth is beautiful, everything - except what we ourselves think and do when we forget the higher purposes of life and out own human dignity." - Anton Chekhov Martin's nightmares had end by a miracle from a aromatherapist Virna who had save his life from falling into despair in his darkest times and the only person to give him human decency plus the strength to get back his former life before his condition. Martin would not be here today if that aromatherapist haven't come to his life and save him from darkness when everyone had lost hope.
Thia story really touched my soul ...Thank you for sharing. I will try to see instead of just look. I deliver food and I see a lot of homeless folks. I see them! And i would encourage everyone to help the less fortunate when possible!
For more about Martin Pistorius' inspiring story, find his New York Times bestseller, "Ghost Boy" here: www.ghostboybook.com/
This story. Wow
He must of had some of the worst bed sores in existence
I wanna say that u got amazing videos and Barney scares me
@@haist1536 agreed
333 👍
This is why as a nurse i always talk to my unconscious patients like they are aware. You never know when they are infact trapped. And besides people deserve that dignity even if they are no longer aware.
1000% agree. Good on ya
Thank you.
❤️
you're a lovely person to do that.
As a nurse too this is also why I will make sure their TV is on, and at least a dim light is on. To make sure they have stimulation at all times so they aren't just trapped in a dark silent room
I can't imagine how terrible it must've been to be trapped in your own body, unable to scream, listening as even your own family loses hope
My dreams are commonly like that, and they feel horrible.
I see things happen but can't react, or my reactions are just too sluggish. Must've felt awful
Sometimes I have dreams like where I'm in my own bed,but I can't move art all.idk if it's sleep paralysis cause there's no demons,but I'm paralyzed in those dreams and it's awful. So many times occur where I feel myself moving, but when I see my arm it's still in front of my face. Yeah, it sucks.
*at
@@Keelmangolorinecase just yesterday I saw a dream in a ship, with someone coming to attack. Imagine finding yourself in an awsome action movie, only to realise that you can't move yourself more than an inch every second.
I don't remember the last one which I couldn't at all move. But I'm certain that I had one. I Remember the feeling
I haven't had dreams like that, but I have had at least 2 moments in my life when I woke up I couldn't move my body at all, i could move my eyes but nothing else. After some time had passed I could slowly start moving my body again. It was almost like my mind was awake, but my body was still asleep. It was pretty scary.
The fact that some stranger giving him a polite smile was enough to give this guy the will to keep going shows how far deep he really was
It cost nothing to be kind to other people. We don't need to be kind thinking that we're saving somebody's life, just be nice, say thank you if someone hangs the door, beep the honk to thank a space on the other lane..those things makes life so much nicer
Yes Daddy
ayoooo@@AcratesMixedIt
@@AcratesMixedIt.
@@AcratesMixedIt ☹️
When my dad was in a coma for a month after his aortic dissection, my family took turns visiting each day. This was during covid, so he could only have 1 visitor each day. We each brought a book and would read to him every day, just in case he was still in there. When he finally woke up and could talk to us again, he said that he remembered all of us reading to him and looked forward to when each of us would visit, though he couldn't express it at the time. He has recovered and is back to his usual self.
Wholesome :D
Did he remember what you read for him? I'm glad your dad has returned to his normal self.
Btw you and your family are so strong and supportive by working together to visit him. I'm sure it would be too tiring and heart-breaking for only 1 person to do that. He's strong cuz you and your family stand by him strongly 😊
@@FarayukiDiro Thanks! He remembers most of what we read to him during that time, although the details are fuzzy for him. The way he put it, it was like he was looking at a wall of panels at all times. He would hear us talking and reading to him, and a panel would occasionally open up so he could see for brief periods, then would close as soon as he tried to reach through the open panel. Strange stuff.
That's wonderful
Incredible story, glad he recovered
Man 13 years stuck where everyone ignores you and doesn't know you're in there. Martin must have been very emotional strong to get through all of this
It's not like he had a choice either
No. He just didn't had no choice. The parents are really satanic and selfish to hold him there.
I won't stay in silence any more! It's time we start saying things EXACTLY as they are!!!!
@@AnjuDieQualleYou'd be surprised how easy it is to lose your mind in situations like these. Had he let go, he'd be officially dead, aha.
@@YTDPROMISE That's not how it works
@danieltheraging5390 your ed
I cried listening to the end of this. As I'm struggling with disability that's getting worse but still having all of my cognitive ability, I couldn't even begin to imagine how hard this must have been for him to go through and to hear his mom say that. I cried not because of the suffering he went through, but because he was finally being able to be treated like a human being. I know that people who DO have limited cognitive function are abused by their caretakers all too often, and it's just so heartbreaking bc no matter what cognitive function you have, you still deserve to be treated like a human being with basic dignity and respect. I'm just so glad he was able to be seen, and how amazing that must have felt to finally be heard and to have a big part of his life back. I'm so glad to see him thriving!
I am extremely sorry to hear about your disability, I am praying for you 💗 Be safe!
Definitely hits different when you are also disabled
I don't have a physical disability & I don't cry very often, but I also cried during part of it.
Only a little bit though.
Bless you
4:23 kid speaking last words to mother "when home" and waking up is wild to witness, cant imagine how terrifying that experience was
@Don't Read My Profile Picture I just did
I really have seen you before.
@Don't Read My Profile Picture I’m going to report u 😊
@Don't Read My Profile Picture alright
HES ALIVE
‘He emerged from pain and suffering with his passion and empathy intact…’ is such a profoundly strong statement
his eyes say it all
It's thanks to Martin that kids in my school I went to had equipment that can help them communicate. I heard about the story about Martin and I was at my special ed school. Somebody you even worked with Martin came to the school to educate the higher functional kids about his disability in which he's now helping others with the same thing. So to Martin. Thank you. You gave voices to the voiceless
Former coma patient here: yes, please talk to us! Odds are that we are there! My reality was very distorted when I was aware of it, but I was still able to hear what people were saying. I dreamed the entirety of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as my dad read it to me. I couldn't communicate past the ventilator, and the "I have no mouth and I must scream" aspect hits home pretty hard. I still had a sleep/wake cycle and dreamed really strange things, but I was there, and I try every chance I get to tell people that showing up when someone is in the hospital is the absolute highlight of their time there, hope is a powerful medicine to aid recovery.
How long where in coma 🤔 it must nice to have people who loves ❤️ you see you.
10+ years of his family pushing to keep him alive is honestly impressive, most people will never realize how expensive and insanely stressful it was for them to hold onto hope and follow through with it..... in alot of places he woildve been for lack of a better description "abandoned" for the end to come quickly without care
Fr. Props to both him and his family for enduring this trial
Bless that nurse for everything she did, what a saint.
those nurses are fired with extree punity must follow the cyst-tem 100% or ELs
@@nightmarerex2035I think they meant the one nurse that helped him.
@@cary9479 but she was an aromatherapist ironically the nurses employed to care for him where the ones he said abused him.
The student nurse who was lucky enough to not get fired for almost dropping the bag that was connected to my hand lucky it landed on the bed
It's insane how much one attentive person could help this man improve so drastically! His recovery is amazing!
They were too busy on their iPhones to notice
being awake during a coma seems so horrifying
That's why locked in syndrome is scary.
@@stevelansfordsaveukraine8751 indeed
Its not really a coma, you are unconscious and you have almost no arousal in a coma. Vegetative state is when you are partially aroused but not very concious. Locked in syndrome is when you are paralyzed, but fully concious and fully aroused like you are wide awake
@@editname6868 wait hold up, you can be aroused during a vegetative state?
I don’t think they meant aroused in that context. Lol
I’m overwhelming happy for Martin.
brew the way that you talk about things makes me feel so happy. im disabled and my husband is as well and to hear you say "martin is more than his illness, and he isn't a tool that able-bodied people get to use to feel inspiration or pity," was more than i expected. i hope other content creators who cover stories like this learn from how you do it. it's respectful, informative, and most of all, kind. thank you.
I have PTSD and sometimes dissociation makes me lose the ability to move, speak or even open my eyes. Then I'm kinda caught up between flashbacks, an entirely different world that is basically just a gigantic tunnel of light, but also reality. My awareness of my surroundings always comes back first. It can take me hours to get out of that state and it just feels terrible. However, it feels even worse, when there are people around me, who could help me out of it (mainly by holding ammonia sticks to my nose or using other strong stimuli) but don't get what is going on, even though they know of my disorder. If it happens while I'm laying in bed, everyone would just assume, I was sleeping, while on the inside I'd be screaming for help. Still, I cannot imagine what this man has gone through. The woman who noticed that he was concious is a heroine. Try to pay attention to the "little things" and maybe you'll become one too someday.
Is it catatonia?
@@marciavoe7150 That's what it's classified as
That's INSANE! I'm sorry you deal with that intensity. I have PTSD from nearly 2 decades of severe trauma, but in no way do I experience that.
I really hope things get easier to manage for you. I would never want to go through hours of that. What I got is intense enough, thank you.
Good luck with the endeavor.
Look into MDMA assisted therapy, it could stop these attacks from happening in the future.
Wish you the best 🙏
I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. I know for certain i'd find the first opening to end my own life if i was in your shoes. You're strong.
God Bless Verna and Yasmin, I’m so glad they saw him as a person and were able to help him
I honestly don't blame his mom. I do wish someone had been more aware of the condition of the care home but... They didn't know if their son was alive for lack of a better word. Like brew said, to them, he probably died years ago. The fact that they kept hope through 12 years, cared for him, and put everything (including time, and money, etc) they had into it is frankly impressive.
I agree it's sad but if I put myself in their shoes I feel like I would've acted in a similar manner
I wouldn't blame my family in the slightest if they euthanized me after a month
Then you're weak.
@@danielvickrey6694 Then you're sick.
@@aireyroblox No I'm the difference between never giving up and a miserable self pity fest.
Amazing how a upsetting article about this guy actually has a solid backstory to it.
*?*
Wdym
Your conclusion at the end of this was incredibly beautifully worded, that's exactly what we should be looking for in the story! I truly appreciate you finding the story that way, left me with a big smile on my face!
I work with people who use eye gaze and a program called Unidad. The Eyegaze tracks eye movement allowing these people to communicate and form entire sentences just through their eye movement. Its exciting to see a channel like Brew putting this kind of information out, we need to normalize the usage of alternative augementative devices.
This honestly had streams of tears down my face. Im so glad his life improved.
Did the person who forced him to drink the throw up get in trouble yet? People should take legal action for how they treated him.
Why?
@@flameofthephoenix8395 Someone forced them to drink throw up.
@@BadNameJackson There is nothing inherently illegal about that. They were trying to feed him.
@@flameofthephoenix8395 Yeah, it's still bad.
@@BadNameJackson I mean, I'd still do it in her position, at least I'd like to believe I would.
I work with residents in a group home who are very similar to Martin, some of our residents use a Tobii device that tracks their eyes so we can have full conversations!!
But even without the Tobii I have full conversations with my residents, even our residents who cannot communicate I still talk with them! Love all my residents, thank goodness Martin was found out to be lucid! I cannot imagine the torture of people thinking you’re mentally gone and not talking to you
Also thank you for the last few minutes!! I am so happy for him, and his beautiful family he created ♡
Martian’s story reminds me of Metallica’s song “One” about a soldier who was blown up by a land mine, lost both his arms and legs, his eyesight, his hearing and his ability to talk. He begs God to take him. It’s a similar tragedy that Martin lived through. Fortunately, someone saw that he was consciously aware. It seems that, eventually, he was able to live happily ever after. I wonder if he had PTSD or any kind of traumatic after effects.
Similar in concept to a japanese story, Imomushi,about a soldier that gets mutilated by a mine,and whose wife is forced to care for. It is more of a thriller though.
The movie featured in that Metallica video is called 'Johnny Got His Guns'
Body my holding cell!
@@jasonrowen8938
And that 1971 movie is based on the 1938 book Johnny Got His Gun by Donald Trumbo, about a soldier wounded in World War I.
I’m glad he woke up but man the experience he has to go through is beyond tragic. But massive respect for his good will
Martin's story is amazing, and I think it teaches us a tremendous amount about the nature and form of consciousness. I'm going to have to read his book. I am very curious about the emotions he felt while being locked in... people who experience total facial paralysis are known to follow a very specific pattern of losing the ability to feel anger, then losing the ability to remember what it felt like to get angry, then losing the ability to recognize anger in other peoples faces. It seems to me that he would have lost almost all emotional tone (which would probably be a mercy in his condition) but he clearly retained some, or maybe substituted some with more intentional and thought-driven (rather than physically trained responses which is what emotions are) patterns.
i’ve heard about a different lis case, the parents let their daughter rot and melt into the couch, they wouldn’t feed her or anything. it was really bad and so upsetting knowing that she was alive all those years just watching herself rot away and her parents didn’t care and did nothing about it. :( i’m so grateful for martin’s parents for getting him help and staying strong all those years no matter how gut wrenching it must have been for them.
To be fair, not everyone is the same and they might have given in to despair or even apathy a lot sooner.
It's a crying shame if they didn't at least ask the state to assume responsibility for taking care of her, though.
@@jnharton they just thought she was being lazy and stubborn the video is called something like “the girl who melted into the couch” if you’re interested in hearing about her story,,her name is Lacey Fletcher
I would have liked to have heard more about him recovering his mobility. Looks like he is still in a wheelchair but is able to physically interact a lot more.
Same i tried looking it up but google doesn’t understand what i’m asking lol
@@pinheadlarry2921 HE does have a Ted talk but he doesn't go into detail about his recovery. He can now move his face to make expressions and head movements and he can use a text to speech program very well, he's in a wheelchair but he is able to communicate and function much more independently.
I don't know if he was already recovering physically , if he got physiotherapy or if working on the text and symbol to speech en-vigored his whole body (mind to matter, new hope to new strength )
I used to have night terrors with sleep paralysis where i was partially awake and could hear what was going on around me but couldn't move, speak, or open my eyes in addition to auditory hallucinations which was a very disturbing and frightening experience. I can't imagine going through something similar to that for 12 years, my mind would simply break and I don't think I'd come back from it.
I was able to move my legs in sleep paralysis but I couldn't move my arms at all. It was very strange. I tried to go back to sleep and I fell asleep so fast.
Omg. I thought I was the only one who had that! It's the most annoying thing in the world lol. To try to avoid sleep paralysis, I listen to an audio book. It really helps!
When I have sleep paralysis I can only open my eyes for a few minutes, but im fully aware of my surroundings. It's terrifying to me. I can't imagine 12 years.
You're not alone,
Im having the same issue too. But not being able to move your body for 12 years is just unbearable.
Thank you for telling Martin’s story with such compassion and humility. And especially thank you for reminding your audience that people with disabilities are not ‘inspiring’. We are living our lives as well as we can in communities that often don’t see us. With few exceptions, we don’t want *your* admiration, we want *your* acceptance and *your* capacity to include/advocate for/ support those disabled people you know, you see, you hear about in your communities.
Our impairments, our medical issues, our pathologies are not the disabilities. The disability comes from being unseen, unrecognised, unable to participate in community life… This story, and the sensitive retelling of it highlights this. Thanks Brew.
Really glad to see his story covered so well!!! I saw Martin’s Ted Talk years ago and read his autobiography. So glad u talked about not using his struggles as inspiration, but the love for humanity he kept through it all. That was really driven home to me by his book, and was a really good and needed message for me in my angsty teen years.
When I finally saw his picture at the end I burst out with joy seeing the glimmer in his eyes and the most beautiful smile! I’m so glad they didn’t give up on him! ❤
You're telling me they never thought of telling him to look in a right-left-right kind of sequence as to signal that he could hear them? Isn't that the first thing anyone would do, to try and reestablish communication?
I was thinking the same thing.
or even just blinking lmao. "blink twice if you understand me" would be the only thing they needed to say to know he was awake
They said in the video he couldn't move his eyes side to side.
Fine. Get right in front of him and see if he could have eye contact.
Even he says he was unaware for a big period of time, I think during that time they stopped looking. At some point he regained the ability along with his awareness to move his eyes. It seems like he slowly began to interact with the world a little bit more at a time!
The aroma therapy woman deserves all the glory in the world. What a story. I hope his life will be long and beautiful.
Thank you for mentioning that part at the end about people seeing him as a source of inspiration for the able bodied. People often act as though those with disabilities are some prop to oooh and ahhh at and feel pity for - we don't want your pity. We just wanna feel like we're on the same level as you.
I hope that girl who noticed him and saved him by contacting his parents is doing well she's an angel :(
3 years out of nursing school I worked on a step down unit. We had a patient that had been in a motorcycle accident and was in a coma. While in the coma we all took turns caring for Brian, talking him through the process. He was transferred to a rehab facility shortly after transferring to our floor. Eight months later he walked onto our unit! He made a near full recovery. He needed assistance with walking but he was walking. You never know what could happen, kindness and empathy go a long way.
Wow, this story is so incredibly heartbreaking. I can't even imagine how depressing it must have been for Martin to be literally trapped inside his body for 12 years. I am so, so happy that he encountered an angel, who was instrumental in saving his life and getting him the help that he so desperately needed. Martin, God bless you and your beautiful family. Lots of love
I am truly impressed and inspired at how he is able to still hold on to his humanity even after being locked in for so long.
Being stuck in a waking coma is my greatest nightmare. I already have a will in the case that if I fall into one, I am to be terminated.
Martin's story is so encouraging. I suffer from a disorder and im from south africa. Disablities dont make you less human. Ableism is a huge problem in our society.
I think I have something in my eye. That makes me realize I'm doing the right thing when I talk to disabled people like I would anyone else. I know some people have a working mind but their bodies don't allow them to express themselves properly. Like I tell myself everyday, like a mantra: "We are all human." Life is hard for all of us, so be kind to one another.
Ummm I think thats just having a conscious
This is the most terrifying Brew video so far.
You didn't see the guy who lived in a dead body because of his family, didn't you
@@ricktherickrolled or the office chairs exploding
@@ricktherickrolled nope I didn't ik it wasn't directed towards me but whatever
@@stevelansfordsaveukraine8751 Well you can watch it but please do not google the pictures of that incident, it's traumatizing and i shaked all night not being able to sleep or I am just overreacting, but please dont
Martin is proof that you need to take care of more people than you think. Strong, alive, and not giving up. We need to BE as strong as he is.
15:34
Imagine waking from a coma and the first word you "say" using this device is pog.
As someone who gets sleep paralysis episodes, i cannot even imagine how Martin went through this hellish experience. I have had the same experience as him while having a sleep paralysis episode,as a kid it was like everlasting even if it was for less than a minute it felt like im trapped and wished as if i should scream but it wasn't of any use, my whole body couldn't move excluding my eyes. Over the years these episodes have gotten short and sometimes they appear only when im Dreaming but if it ever happens when im in an awakening state i usually can control it now thankfully.....
I wish martin best in life and godbless
Did you see the demon entity from smile?
@@SMCwasTaken i don't see hallucinations like some people suffering from sleep paralysis, well if im in a dream while having SP, I'd be awake in the dream and whatever i fear ,takes shape innit
@@SMCwasTaken I'd rather see a silly demon hallucination then feel like I'm about to choke on my own spit. For whatever reason, I only get SP when on my back. Sucks too, since I find it a comfortable position, so I usually only sleep on my sides.
I've had sleep paralysis while I was very ill once and all I wanted to do is shut my bedroom door cause the hallway light was on and I couldn't move at all and it was horrible. It lasted for roughly 6 hours from when I went to sleep till I woke up. It was terrifying so I can't imagine others having this for so many years
When people speak about Hell, this is it. From the end, it seems as though he continued regaining use of some of his motorskills, but this poor guy. 12 years... Between 13 and 25. And that's not suddenly waking up either, that's a decade more work, but did anyone find out what neuro-degenerative condition/disease that caused this? That is a fate worse than anything, and as a dad myself that terrifies me. I always try to treat every living thing, no matter the understood perception of intelligence, with respect and care, such as dogs etc, because you should never assume that any life is beneath you, or incapable of thought. How did the parents not notice the eye contact? I would have spent the first few months after his last words, looking into their eyes to see if they seemed there or not. You can't blame them, but I'd never give up. I'd try everything and anything.
A tuberculosis-related brain infection
At least at 25 you still have plenty of time to potentially recover and the possibility of a future life if you do.
Sounds a bit like AFM but idk
People imagine "scary" as appearences and such. This is that _real_ definition, in your body, unable to do anything.
The thought of it gave me so much anxiety
This video is incredible. The way you speak about his disability and how able bodied people shouldn’t take his story as inspiration just because he’s disabled really spoke to me as a disabled person. Thank you so much for your compassion towards disabled people like this, and saying that
I can't imagine how mentally hard that could of been. I'm so glad he is able to live a happy life now
Ableism is something that most people don't even know exists. THANK YOU for pointing out that Martin is not here to be pitied or used to make able bodied people feel good about themselves. He is inspirational because of what he has overcome and accomplished.
True I never felt bad for them
"When home?" broke my heart.
Im a cna, we have a client at my job that very rapidly declined and she no longer spoke when I got back from my leave, besides once in a while, where she would utter a word or two but that was about it (or so i was told, I was gone for 6 months.)When I came back from maternity leave I looked her in the eyes and told her a joke and she laughed and said “ yup” which didnt really make sense to what I was saying but its was still good to hear her talk, before I had left she was still walking around and talking. My friend just stared at me open mouthed and said, “did she just laugh and say something?” And I said yeah why? She told me she hasn’t heard her laugh in months and that she very rarely talks if at all anymore. (she also has dementia.) At this point I had interacted with her many of times where she would respond and/or laugh so I didn’t think anything of it. She then asked me what I did to get her to respond and I said, “nothing really I just looked at her (in the eyes), gave her a big smile and then said “hi nance how are we today? and then said my joke. (she has a wonderful laugh and sense of humour). Eye contact is INCREDIBLY important, especially when someone has a disease that takes over their brain. You might assume that just because someone doesn’t respond or even look at you that they aren’t “there”, but they are, and they might not understand much of whats going on at times, but they are still in there, and if you take the time to really look at someone, you will see it. And even if they say something that doesn’t make sense, if they are talking or communicating at all, they are trying their best to communicate back, so just go along with it, try and make them laugh or smile, treat them like a person, they deserve respect and compassion just as much as anyone else. I am one of the only people at my job that can get her to laugh or respond sometimes, eye contact is so much more than just looking at someone.❤
Any photo after Martin's incident, he seems to always have a smile!
Bruh
5:40 I experience this quite often, a lot of times already, and still do... obviously I'm not in a coma or anything, but my eyes would open while sleeping, and "see" the real world while my body is completely asleep. Whenever I sleep on the family couch, I'd often see family members walking by, while I dream that I call out to them, even shout, yet no one will notice.
Sleep Paralysis I guess
@@therealslimshady6763
^
At least you can see, my eyes are jammed shut and I can't move or breathe. Imagine being awake, suffocating and being unable to move your body or perform basic breathing functions.
@@Delimon007 sleep paralysis is different for everyone. Some people even see and hear things. Some are not just paralyzed, but feel some form of pressure.
Maybe you should sleep with and eye mask
if i was the parents or the caretaker i'd be fkn horrified to know the boy has potentially been locked inside for more than a decade. that sounds like a trauma that i'd never ever wanna experience even if i can have the wealth of bezos
martin has my utmost respect
I heard something about this several days ago and I literally said to myself “I wonder if Brew will make a video about this” I guess that was a bit of foreshadowing
This sounds like a living nightmare. I feel awful he had to go through that.
I am genuinely impressed about hearing Martin's story, and that one nurse is definitely a saint for getting him through such a harrowing experience. And good for him for living about his life moving forward, you love to see a good ending!
to anyone hates the mother
think again...
if you were her those words aren't even enough to describe her pain
God bless that therapist for noticing that he was still in there, she was Godsent. I saw a recent video of him and he's doing so well now, wheelchair bound and using a computer to talk but he can laugh and smile and move his head and arms now
i have Stiff Person Syndrome, it shares parallels with this. When they couldnt figure out what was wrong, LIS was one of the things they thought was happening.
I'm sorry you're having to go through anything like this, hope you're doing alright ❤
"I have no mouth and I must scream"
Strangely accurate quote. Who said it?
@@thelarryman482its a book
you should look it up, its good even if its not very relevant to this.
its the name of a book@@thelarryman482
@@thelarryman482 its a book
I can’t even begin to imagine being like this…
Along of suffering all stahes of dementia, being trapped inside of you body while everyone thinks your gone is my biggest fear
Since he was 12? Or a 12 year coma? Was he 24 at this moment? I didn't know you could survive a coma that long?
He wrote an autobiography called “Ghost Boy” if you’re interested.
It's a 12 year coma that happened when he was 12 so it's both.And, yes you can- in fact -be in a coma for 12 years.
Also it was a waken coma
🌯
@@SuzieNerds needs a movie!
I'm so happy that Martin was able to recover enough that he not only found the love of his life, but had a child! Good for him
This is one of my biggest fears, being awake, but not able to communicate or move.
The happy end is really beyond crazy. Good that Martin survived and is prospering in life! ❤
This is one of the only Brew videos that actually ended well
Years ago this story inspired me. I typically smile at everyone who makes eye contact but this encouraged me to smile at everyone who can't as well.
What an amazing story of love and pushing forward at all costs. ❤ Thank you for sharing.
This is my worst nightmare
This one got me really teary. It's amazing that he never gave up, even in the face of dispair. 😢😢😢😢
13 years and conscious? I'd be bitter and angry after what he went through. What a great guy!
I heard this story already but thank God for that lady doing what she did 👐 thank goodness for caring people 🙏
13 years is absolutely horrifying. Words cannot describe how happy I am that Martin is out of that.
Had tears through several sections of this story
$2,400 for that MACAW thing?! That's outrageous for what's essentially an adult Speak & Spell.
Imagine cost to make
Should be gov funded
@@Rollacoastertycoon, yes. Another reason we need universal healthcare.
Indeed the fact that so many amazing patients can never have these due to the money not being around.
I can't even Imagine 😢.
I really wish i could help them.
It needs to be more physically robust and have more extensive functionality though.
And someone in his condition can't just reach out and precisely press a membrane button.
The price does seem a little crazy, but in the grand scheme of things it's pretty inexpensive.
A little decency can make someones entire life better
Vierna or whatever her name was, was a light of humanity in a dark world for him. People like her are very unique, special, and rare.
Wow!
This was crazy,but then it got awesome!
I am so glad he is ok!
16:48 THAT really is amazing!!!
I feel Awful for his Mom I am going to cry!
I can only hope that his mother apologized for saying such a horrid thing. Imagine wishing death upon someone, not knowing they can hear you. Even if he couldn't, that's just cruel.
Spoilers man
Imagine how many more of these cases are out there that didn't get this level of care to recover.
I remember seeing something on Martin last year. So happy for him that someone saw he was still there!! ❤
If this happened in my country, then why do I rarely hear about it? This is gold
I'm glad he climbed back from that pit. Good for him, glad he could get past such a horrifying experience and can still smile what a trooper!
I'm so glad Martin got a happy ending
Hehehe that nurse..
@Alfred Newman bro that is NOT what i meant 😅
There’s an amazing man in Aus named Nick that has LIS, he’s such an inspiration. He just never gives up. He has a wife and 3 adorable kids now too.
"everything on earth is beautiful, everything - except what we ourselves think and do when we forget the higher purposes of life and out own human dignity." - Anton Chekhov
Martin's nightmares had end by a miracle from a aromatherapist Virna who had save his life from falling into despair in his darkest times and the only person to give him human decency plus the strength to get back his former life before his condition. Martin would not be here today if that aromatherapist haven't come to his life and save him from darkness when everyone had lost hope.
It's a good day when Brew uploads. It's like a strong cup of coffee when you need a pick me up🥰
Poor kid was forced to watch barney and unable to escape it. He probably sees that face as the face of a demon now...
I remember hearing about Martin it was truly thanks to a miracle, and his resolve that he was able to be saved from that hell
Thia story really touched my soul ...Thank you for sharing. I will try to see instead of just look. I deliver food and I see a lot of homeless folks. I see them! And i would encourage everyone to help the less fortunate when possible!
Crazy that he survived. Thankfully he did, wish him the best.