Zach Lawrence, a 38-year-old Ohio man who was in a coma after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a car accident in Europe, was able to give his family a sliver of hope, and all because of his hate for the University of Michigan.
Lawrence, 38, suffered the injury in an accident in the former Soviet republic of Georgia in March. He returned to Columbus in April and, the Columbus Dispatch reports, doctors thought he had little chance of waking up. His family was told they could expect to turn off his feeding tube within six to 12 months.
In addition to answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions, Lawrence has begun making sounds, keeping his eyes open and smiling at his children, the newspaper reported.
He is also able to give a thumbs up, stand on a treadmill and hold a crayon or pencil.
via The Guardian:
Four months later, though, Lawrence was asked to press a “yes” or “no” button in answer to the question of whether or not he liked Michigan. To the delight of his family, the lifelong Ohio State football fan hit “no” twice.
Lawrence has begun making sounds, keeping his eyes open and smiling at his children, the newspaper reported. Lawrence is also able to give a thumbs up, stand on a treadmill and hold a crayon or pencil, the better to color with his six-year-old daughter, Adrianne, and four-year-old son, Donovan.
Lawrence’s wife, Meghan, credits Ohio State University’s Dodd Hall rehabilitation hospital for his unexpected progress, adding that the family were “not sure how we got so lucky for them to take him in”.
Lawrence is currently scheduled to stay at Ohio State University’s Dodd Hall rehabilitation hospital until Friday, July 21.
The family says they’re hoping Zach makes enough progress to have that time extended.
