Martin Pistorius is a South African man who spent 12 years as a “human ghost”—his term for the coma-like state that held him captive inside his own body, alive but seemingly invisible to everyone else.
I just heard about this incredible individual last night, while watching Anderson Cooper. To call him “incredible,” might even be an understatement. He is truly an inspiration to the world!
At 12 years old, he started suffering from what appeared to be a routine sore throat. It was the beginning of a devastating and mysterious illness that would rob him of his ability to speak, leaving him fully awake, but trapped inside a body that wouldn’t move.
Within 2 years, the illness left him so disabled that he had to be moved to a nursing facility. Doctors told his family he was completely vegetative, couldn’t hear or comprehend anything, and would surely die.
I’m please to say those doctors and all the other naysayers were WRONG! In a real-life miracle, Martin emerged from the coma to write a book, Ghost Boy, about his horrific ordeal, documenting the abuse, loneliness, frustration, and confusion that accompanied his disease and how he kept his sanity under conditions that could easily destroy anyone’s hope.
To think of that poor man, screaming out in his mind for help, for care, for love, while others ignored, mocked, and abused him! Uh, it just takes my breath away…
One of the saddest parts was hearing him recount how he’d be left in front of a TV that played nothing but Barney cartoons all day long and having no way to change the channel, leave the room, or even cry out.
Though most gave up on him—including his own mother—there was a nurse named Verna who was different. Able to detect signs of life within him, she urged his family to seek out the specialists who could help him recover.
Today, Martin is still mute and partially disabled, but a special computer allows him to talk. Once he was able to start communicating, he had renewed hope, which gave him something to focus on and helped him heal. His body grew stronger and he began to regain some movement.
Far from the “vegetable” doctors claimed, he’s now 39 years old, married, and working as a web designer. Almost unbelievably, he’s not bitter; instead he’s focused on sharing his story and helping others who are in comas. I doubt many people could follow his example.
To me, Martin’s story is living proof that medicine doesn’t have all the answers. Sometimes miracles really do happen! It also is a shining example to treat others with kindness and respect—no matter what their mental capacity or physical condition. Every single person has something to contribute and every single person’s life matters.
The Torah teaches us “not to curse the deaf, nor put stumbling blocks before the blind,” but how many of us abide by its teachings? How many of us gossip? How many of us look right through people in wheelchairs or on crutches? How many able-bodied drivers sneak into handicapped parking spaces?
The bravery of Martin Pistorius should make us mindful of those less fortunate and inspire us to be compassionate and help when and where we can. We can create a better world, here and now, if only by loving…
