Photo: Gofundme
A British family is grappling with how to explain the coronavirus pandemic to their teenage son after he recently emerged from a 10-month coma, unaware of the horrors that have gripped the world over the last year.
At the time, the coronavirus was still primarily spreading in China, with small pockets beginning to appear in other parts of the world. When the 19-year-old slipped into a coma, it was just weeks before the U.K. went into lockdown to combat the growing spread of the virus.
While unconscious, Flavill even caught and fought off the virus himself, according toCNN.
Flavill’s aunt, Kate Yarbo, told the outlet that while the teen was in his coma, he was “in such pain,” and that it has been “a horrible traumatic journey for him.”
However, his family was given some good news late last month when Flavill smiled as he was played audio recorded in a plane cockpit. Then, when Yarbo called her nephew over Zoom, she noticed him blink while she was reminiscing on their vacations to Cornwall.
“Something just turned in my tummy. I said, ‘Did you blink on purpose?’ and he blinked twice. Then we knew he was communicating,” she told CNN.
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Joseph’s Journey
Since then, Flavill has shown signs of rapid recovery. “The last week has been incredible,” Yarbo said. “He can’t speak yet but clearly he’s starting to gain control of his limbs, and his sense of humor’s there, he’s starting to laugh at jokes.”
“We’re all really stunned, it’s amazing what the brain can do,” his aunt said.
As Flavill finally begins his return to reality, Yarbo opened up to CNN about having to explain the last year to him.
“I think it’s going to be a shock. We’re all still processing it — I’m not sure you can ever actually describe how this pandemic feels,” she told the outlet.
“He’s only ever going to understand it through our ability to describe it, and through news stories. The horror,” she added. “So many people have said it’s like sitting watching a sci-fi film, isn’t it? You couldn’t write the pandemic as a film.”
Yarbo also spoke about how hard it has been for the family, as they have been unable to be physically with Flavill due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“That’s a big thing for his [mom] to emotionally manage, watching him through a screen,” she said. “You want to hold his hand, you want to be there all the time.”
The family set up a website calledJoseph’s Journeyto share updates about his recovery, as well as collect donations to help cover the cost of his care.
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source: people.com
