It was a total freak accident.
14-year-old Pete Benda fell 30 feet from an auditorium lift and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Doctors said that 90% of those who sustained a brain injury like Pete remain in a vegetative state, permanently. He was in a coma; his eyes were open, but he did not speak.
This is Pete's incredible story, courtesy of Ken Garff and Project Listen.
Pete spent nearly three weeks in the ICU. Medical professionals prepared the Benda family for the worst — but when Pete's mom Chris started to lose hope, Pete's dad Rob provided it tenfold. Rob would sit and breathe with Pete, listening to him breathing for hours. He told the family "We have to positive with this. We are not going to sit at his bedside and cry. If you have to cry, you go out of the room."
Then, on January 6, 2013, everything changed. Not only did Pete begin speaking, but he started by using full sentences. A month later, he walked out of the hospital on his own. Rehabilitation has included physical therapy, speech therapy, music therapy, acupuncture, and massage therapy.
With the help of his family, friends and medical team, he proudly joined the Brain Injury Alliance for a 5K run. We've seen it before, like in the case of Martin Pistorius, that miracles do come true.
During his miraculous recovery, his family learned an important truth — listening can bring hope when all seems lost.
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