Emirati Woman Wakes Up After 27 Years in Coma
In 1991, a collision on the roads of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, left 32‑year‑old Munira Abdulla with severe brain trauma. For nearly three decades she remained unresponsive, yet last year she began speaking again. Her reemergence at age 59 has raised questions about recovery in prolonged disorders of consciousness.
On the afternoon of the accident, Abdulla sheltered her four‑year‑old son Omar Webair in the back seat as their car was struck by a school bus. Omar escaped with minor injuries while his mother slipped into a minimally conscious state, not a full coma but a condition marked by intermittent awareness and very limited responsiveness as per medical reports suggest.
Physicians in London initially confirmed her condition, and care continued in Abu Dhabi. Throughout, Omar made daily walks to her ward, sometimes traveling several kilometres to be by her side. The family later received support from the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, which financed a treatment programme at the Schoen Clinic in Bad Aibling, Germany, beginning in April 2017.
At the clinic, neurologist Dr. Ahmad Ryll emphasised restoring her physical capabilities. He is reported to have said they treated her like “a delicate plant that needs good soil to grow”. Over time, adjustments to epilepsy medications, physiological rehabilitation, and sensory stimulation led to gradual improvements.
In June 2018, a dispute in her hospital room appears to have triggered a breakthrough. Omar described hearing strange sounds and calling her name; the next day she repeated it. “It was her calling my name. I was flying with joy,” he told The National. “For years I have dreamt of this moment, and my name was the first word she said”.
Following the awakening, Abdulla began speaking short sentences, reciting religious verses, identifying pain, and conversing about familiar topics. The National reported she later visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which was constructed 16 years after her accident.
Dr. Friedemann Müller, the German neurologist who reviewed her case, cautioned against equating this with awakening from a coma. He noted that patients in long-term vegetative or minimally conscious states may regain limited, incremental awareness—not instantaneous full consciousness. Müller referenced similar examples, like an American case where a patient began communicating after 20 years in a minimally conscious state.
Experts stress that even limited recovery after decades remains rare. The BBC referred to Abdulla’s case as unusual, though documented instances of reawakening exist. An April 2019 CBS News feature quoted Müller: “No patient simply wakes up from a coma after 27 years,” adding that Abdulla showed signs of minimal consciousness, not full vegetative awareness.
Omar attributes her awakening to persistence. He said medical staff had labelled her situation hopeless, but he continued advocacy for her care.
“Don’t consider them dead when they are in such a state,” he told Inquirer.
Her reawakening has triggered discussion in neurology circles. Professor Jenny Kitzinger from Cardiff University told The Independent that such cases spotlight the importance of correct diagnosis and ongoing reassessment, not miracle cures. She noted that mislabeling a patient as vegetative when conscious undermines their chances of recovery.
Over several months, Abdulla’s responsiveness improved. She identifies pain, answers routine questions, prays with her son, and knows familiar people are present. Currently, she is undergoing further care at Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
While blind hope is no remedy, her case underlines the possibility of recovery in some patients labeled minimally conscious. Dr. Müller emphasises that her emergence involved medical revision and environmental stimuli. Each day, practitioners and families must work to uncover even faint signs of awareness.
For her son, persistence paid off. He continues visiting and speaking to her, aiming to encourage incremental progress. He described the experience as proof that investment and vigilance in long-term care can yield results—however rare they may be.
Her journey invites reflection on how medical systems, families, and caregivers should evaluate prognosis. This case suggests that underestimation may delay or deny emerging consciousness. It underscores the need for thoughtful diagnosis, careful therapies, and familial advocacy—even when statistical odds appear low.
As Abdulla continues rehabilitation, her progress will inform how clinicians and families approach prolonged disorders of consciousness. Her case neither alters established understanding nor validates myths of miracle recovery. Instead, it highlights that sensitivity, support, and targeted treatment may sometimes usher a long-dormant mind back toward awareness and it also gives hope to another similar case of Saudi Sleeping Prince who’s been in coma for over 20 years now.
