SURVIVORS Following are accounts of people who have survived catastrophic situations. We ask that you send us information about anyone you know who may also be a living testimony that these life-threatening conditions can be overcome if treatment is allowed to continue. Such cases ought to be of grave concern to every citizen, not only of the United States but also of the entire world.
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JOSEPH was born very prematurely in 1975. He was on a ventilator for several weeks and not responding when a brain test was done. The brain wave test was reported as consistent with cerebral death. At that time nothing was done to hasten his death or to impose death on him but treatment was continued. Joseph eventually got off the ventilator, went home… when Joseph went to school he got straight A’s, ran track and played baseball. He is now married, has three children and is a paramedic.
Quebec woman wakes up after family refuses organ donation. July 5, 2011 – Madeleine Gauron, a Quebec woman identified as viable for organ donation after doctors diagnosed her as “brain dead,” surprised her family and physicians when she recovered from a coma, opened her eyes, and began eating. “If we had decided to donate her organs, they would have killed her,” said her son.
‘Brain dead’ woman recovers after husband refuses to withdraw life support
NORTHERN TERRITORY, Australia, May 12, 2011 - Gloria Cruz, an Australian woman who was declared “brain dead” regained consciousness after weeks of fighting doctor recommendations that her ventilator be shut off, according to a report in the Northern Territory News.
Raleane "Rae" Kupferschmidt’s relatives were told by doctors she was "brain dead" after she had suffered a massive cerebral hemorrage, according to an Associated Press Report. Her family had taken her home to die and were in the process of grieving and planning her funeral when she awoke and was rushed back to hospital.
She underwent surgery to drain the blood clot from her skull. After surgery, she recovered her strength and is now undergoing physical therapy and can walk with the aid of a walker. Doctors expect her to be walking on her own within weeks. ...
Doctors Who Almost Dissected Living Patient Confess Ignorance about Actual Moment of Death
PARIS, France, June 12, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Parisian whose organs were about to be removed by doctors after he had "died" of a heart attack, revived on the operating table only minutes before doctors began to harvest his organs.
The girl who
Incredible story of the 19-year-old who woke up as doctors were preparing to harvest her organs Carina Melchior was in a coma and was not expected to live
Doctors at the Danish hospital had started preparing her for organ donations and the family agreed for life support to be switched off
Less than 24 hours after the breathing equipment was turned off, Carina opened her eyes
Her parents are now suing the hospital for damages
Poised to Donate Organs, 21-Year-Old Emerges From Coma
Sam Schmid, an Arizona college student believed to be brain dead and poised to be an organ donor, miraculously recovered just hours before doctors were considering taking him off life support.
As hospital officials began palliative care and broached the subject of organ donation with his family, Schmid began to respond, holding up two fingers on command. Today, he is walking with the aid of a walker, and his speech, although slow, has improved.
Doctors say he will likely have a complete recovery. He even hopes to get a day pass from the hospital to celebrate the holidays with his large extended family.
“Brain Dead” Man Recovers Before Doctors Can Take His Organs
They were told there was no chance of their son surviving after he suffered devastating injuries in a car crash. But Steven Thorpe’s parents refused to give up hope – despite four specialists declaring that the 17-year-old was brain dead.
The schoolboy was traveling in a Rover with two friends in February 2008 when a stray horse ran into the path of the car in front of them. His friend Matthew Jones, 18, was killed in the accident. Steven suffered serious injuries to his face, head and arm, and was declared brain dead two days later.
He said: ‘The doctors were telling my parents that they wanted to take me off the life support. The words they used to my parents were “You need to start thinking about organ donations”.
True accounts of additional survivors will be posted here. Please check back to learn more.
ZACH DUNLAP was pronounced dead Nov. 19, 2008 at United Regional Healthcare
System in Wichita Falls, Texas, after he was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident. His family approved having his organs harvested.
As family members were paying their last respects, he moved his foot and hand. He reacted to a pocketknife scraped across his foot and to pressure applied under a fingernail. After 48 days in the hospital, he was allowed to return home, where he continued to work on his recovery.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF ZACH
Article: Was Zack Dunlap's Recovery a Miracle?
ARTICLES
Facts about being an organ donor.
Do your organs belong to the government?
Catholic teaching on death and organ transplantation.
Why are Pastoral Care Workers ignorant of the realities of "brain death"?
Additional articles by Dr. Byrne
BRAIN DEATH IS NOT DEATH COLLEGIAL ESSAY
AN AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH DR. PAUL BYRNE
New England Journal of Medicine: ‘Brain Death’ is not Death - Organ Donors are Alive
Did Hospital Kill Teen For His Organs
VAL THOMAS Val Thomas had flat brain waves for 17 hours before her response was observed.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF VAL'S STORY
CLICK HERE TO READ RALEANE'S STORY
The girl who wouldn't die
Incredible story of the 19-year-old who woke up as doctors were preparing to harvest her organs. Carina Melchior was in a coma and was not expected to live.
Doctors at the Danish hospital had started preparing her for organ donations and the family agreed for life support to be switched off.
Less than 24 hours after the breathing equipment was turned off, Carina opened her eyes
Her parents have sued the hospital for damages.
Carina crashed her car in October 2012. 'Those bandits in white coats gave up too quickly because they wanted an organ donor,' her father Kim told the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. The family’s lawyer Nils Fjeldberg said that Ms Melchior keeps asking if doctors were trying to kill her.
