Brain-dead woman comes back to life after ambulance hits pothole on UP highway
Brain-dead woman comes back to life after ambulance hits pothole on UP highway
A miraculous incident on NH-74 in Uttar Pradesh gave Vineeta Shukla, 50, a second chance at life when she, previously declared brain-dead by doctors, suddenly regained consciousness during her ambulance journey.
Vineeta, from Pilibhit district, had collapsed at home while performing her daily household chores on February 22. She was first admitted to a local medical facility and later referred to a hospital in Bareilly for advanced treatment. Doctors reportedly informed her family that she was unresponsive, had no brainstem reflexes, and her condition was extremely critical. With little hope of survival, her husband, Kuldeep Kumar Shukla, even began preparing for her last rites.
On February 24, Vineeta was being transported back home in an ambulance. “She was not breathing. There was only a faint heartbeat. I had told my family to prepare for her last rites,” Kuldeep recalled.
The journey, however, took an extraordinary turn near Hafizganj on the Bareilly-Haridwar National Highway. The ambulance struck a large pothole and jolted violently. Moments later, Vineeta began breathing normally. Shocked by the sudden change, Kuldeep immediately called his family to halt the funeral preparations and rushed her to Neurocity Hospital in Pilibhit for urgent care.
At the hospital, doctors reviewed Vineeta’s earlier medical records from Bareilly. She had previously scored only three points on the Glasgow Coma Scale, indicating deep unconsciousness and no response to stimuli. “Her pupils were dilated, showing no brain activity. Heavy neurotoxins were detected in her bloodstream and lymphatic system,” said Dr. Rakesh Singh, the neurosurgeon overseeing her care. After a careful diagnosis, targeted treatment was started, gradually improving her condition.
Over several days, Vineeta’s health steadily improved. She regained consciousness, began communicating with her family, and eventually spoke again. After full recovery, she was discharged and returned home, turning her family’s despair into joyous celebration.
Vineeta works as a senior assistant in the judicial courts in Pilibhit. Her collapse, the near-fatal prognosis, and miraculous recovery highlight both the fragility and resilience of life. Doctors at Neurocity Hospital suggested that timely medical intervention combined with the unusual jolt from the pothole may have contributed to her unexpected revival.
