Silent since 1995, firefighter talks

Buffalo News ^ | 5/3/2005 | GENE WARNER

[worldclass]

For more than nine years, Herbert has suffered from a profound brain injury after being badly injured in a December 1995 fire, when a roof collapsed on him. Buried under debris and without air for six minutes, he lapsed into a coma for the next 21/2 months.

Since then, he has been unable to see, verbally recognize loved ones' voices or carry on any kind of meaningful conversation.

That all changed Saturday and early Sunday. For about 16 hours, until roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, the 43-year-old Herbert remained awake.

[worldclass]

I don't find this a coincidence coming so soon after the execution of Schiavo. God has a way of making a point.

"What really stunned Herbert's family and friends was the suddenness of the change. "

[Enterprise]

Perhaps an idea for a screen play:

Terri Schiavo dies. She stays around a while contacting comotose patients in the "spirit" and counsels them, telling them to hold on and fight. And every now and then, one of them wakes up.

[MizSterious]

Here's another article on this terrific story.

Still, it makes me sad, thinking what might have been for Terri, were it not for the lack of decency in a lot of hearts.

[yellowdoghunter]

Waiting on the "usual suspects" to show up and say we are all Jimmy Swaggert Christians to actually believe in miracles.....let's put money on who shows up first and how long it takes before their gang follows.

Seriously though, God has not forgotten about Terri.....

Thanks for posting this.

[DCPatriot]

Man...you guys are all Jimmy Swaggart Christians to believe in miracles. ;^)

[Enterprise]

Jimmy went where angels feared to go.

[MizSterious]

We keep seeing these cases of people like this fire fighter--some of them even say they were fully conscious much of the time and repeat conversations they heard during their supposedly "brain dead" times. Alas, Terri had so much of the deck stacked against her. Number one, of course, was her ruthless husband and his space cadet shyster lawyer was surely the second.

[Enterprise]

I hope to miraculously win a big lotto someday.

[Defiant]

The article says he fell back asleep, but doesn't say whether he woke up again. What's the latest word?

[visualops]

Dr. Rose Lynn Sherr of New York University Medical Center (search) said when patients recover from brain injuries, they usually do so within two or three years.
"It's almost unheard of after 10 years," she said, "but sometimes things do happen and people suddenly improve and we don't understand why."

Unfortunately their admitted ignorance doesn't stop them from making pronouncements about life and death.

[GOP_1900AD]

Oh, but during the time he was "in a PVS" he was enduring unthinkable torture. It STILL would have been "humane" to pull the plug ..... /sarcasm.

[visualops]

Ping

Despite the family's caution, speculation already began to surface Monday about Herbert's possible recovery being used as a miracle in the bid to make Father Nelson Baker of Lackawanna a saint. There were unconfirmed reports that Herbert has at least one photo or other artifact of Father Baker in his room.

Monsignor Robert C. Wurtz, the local leader of the Father Baker canonization bid, said he had no information on the situation, other than what he has heard indirectly. For anything to happen, the family would have to come forward.

"I'm open to meet with them," Wurtz said.

At a brief news conference Monday at the nursing home, Manka issued this plea to the public about Herbert's condition:

"Keep praying, please wait while we have him evaluated and respect his family's privacy," he said.

As Burton said of the dramatic change, "If this is something that took place through divine intervention, I'm doing my best to help it along with a lot of prayer."

[freepertoo]

Terri did, at least have one great blessing...she had parents who loved her deeply and were committed to her, God love them...

[RockinRight]

If there's no real medical explanation, then sounds like divine intervention to me.

[ExPatInFrance]

Gee do you think Herbert was on a Feeding Tube?

Ordinary Care, Food and Hydration....

[Mr.Atos]

Rush covering it now!

[MizSterious]

I just pray that some of these cold, hard hearts will soften as more of this evidence is presented.