Man Awakens After 12 Years in Vegetative State, Credits God's Intervention for Miracle
The South African man who miraculously woke up from a 12-year trance in a vegetative state, after doctors said he would likely die, is saying that God is the sole reason behind his recovery.
In a Wednesday interview with Glenn Beck, Martin Pistorius said through his voice software, "Yes, I do believe that if it were not through God's hand that I would not be where I am today."
"If I stop and think about everything that had to happen and the odds of that happening, then there is no doubt in my mind that that could only have happened through divine intervention."
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As previously reported, Pistorius in 1988 at age 12 fell seriously ill and had a hard time waking up and spent most of his free time lying down in the fetal position. When his parents took him to the hospital, doctors were not sure what was wrong with him but diagnosed him with Cryptococcal Meningitis.
As his condition worsened, Pistorius became unable to move or speak and eventually just laid unconscious. He was examined for mental awareness, but failed the test and doctors told his family that he likely did not have long to live. His family took him home and made him as comfortable as possible for what they thought would be his inevitable death.
However, Pistorius continued to live. After several years of laying unconscious, Pistorius regained his thought. After 12 years of living with a vegetative body, Pistorius, through unexplainable neurological developments, finally regained upper body strength and function. Although he never regained his voice, Martin learned to use a computer voice software to communicate effectively with other people.
After spending over a decade in bed thinking he would never be able to live a normal life, Pistorius is now a functioning member of society, married, and owns his own business. He is also the author of the book Ghost Boy: My Escape From a Life Locked Inside My Own Body.
When Glenn Beck asked Pistorius if he ever questioned God when depressing thoughts swirled around in his mind during the trance, he asserted that he never did.
"No, I never questioned Him or wondered, 'Why me?'" Pistorius said. "I don't know why. I just never did."
Even when Pistorius was in the lonliest depths of his trance and wasn't sure if he would ever break out to live a normal life, he never doubted the reality of God's existence.
"There were many, many times where in some sense I felt very alone, even if there were people around me," Pistorius explained. "However, I always seem to pause when making that statement because while a part of me experienced the extreme loneliness and isolation, another part of me always felt the presence of the Lord."
Despite the fact that Pistorius could not communicate with anybody and often even tuned out his own thoughts because they were so depressing to him, he still prayed to God.
"I found myself talking to God. Perhaps one could call them prayers rather than conversations, even though my eyes may have been open and my hands weren't pressed together," Pistorius said. "Through everything, I prayed for help, strength and forgiveness for myself and others. I gave thanks for the blessings I had and special prayers [that were] answered.
Pistorius further explained that it was the small prayers that God answered for him that really continued to fuel his faith in the Lord.
"Even if they were as small, as someone moving my body into a different position to alleviate the pain, its amazing what you can be grateful for—simple things that normal people might not think about, like to sit comfortably for a while," Pistorius said. "For me, God is always there and a constant companion."
Although Pistorius grew up in a Christian household, he admits that his family "rarely" went to church. Although he never questioned God's existence, it wasn't until he went into his trance that he became closer to God.
"I don't know how I came to realize God. He was just always there. I don't know how to explain it really. I always knew that He was and still is there," Pistorius said.
