Ajax football player, Abdelhak ‘Appie’ Nouri has miraculously awoken after spending two years and nine months in a coma.
The 22-year-old initially suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack on the football pitch during friendly match on July 17, causing him brain damage while leaving him in a coma.
The midfielder reportedly work up from his coma in 2018, but remained bedridden as he can only “eat, sleep and frown” while depending heavily on his family members for care.
This week, Abdelhak’s brother has told Dutch Newspaper that his younger sibling is ‘doing well’ in a house which has been designed to cater for his specific needs.
Abderrahim, who communicates with Abdelhak through eyebrow signals and smiles, says that the former midfielder has even started watching football again.
“He has not been home very long, we take care of him there now,’ Abderrahim said.
“I must say that since he is at home it is going much better than before in the hospital. He is aware of where he is, he is back in a familiar environment with his family.
“He’s no longer in a coma. He’s just awake. He sleeps, he sneezes, he eats, he burps, but it’s not like he gets out of bed. He’s very bedridden and still very dependent on us.
“On his good days there is a form of communication, for example, confirmation with his eyebrows or a smile. But you notice that he can’t last that very long.
“We talk to him like he’s not sick. We take him into our conversations and we watch football with him in the living room, for example. Then he watches. You notice that he likes that very much.
“He often shows emotions. Sometimes he is emotional, but often there is also a smile. That does us good. That makes you really appreciate a smile.”
Abdelhak was considered a promising prospect for the Dutch club, making his way to the senior team at just 19 years old while appearing in 15 matches for Ajax.