Brain-Dead 13-Year-Old On Life Support Makes ‘Miraculous’ Recovery

The story of a 13-year-old Alabama boy who regained consciousness after being declared brain-dead is nothing short of miraculous.

This past March, Trenton McKinley was riding on a small trailer that was being pulled by a dune buggy outside a friend’s house when his friend suddenly hit the brakes, flipping the trailer and throwing McKinley to the ground. He was rushed to the emergency surgery, having suffered seven skull fractures.

“He was dead a total of 15 minutes,” his mother, Jennifer Reindl, told Fox 10. “When he came back, they said he would never be normal again … [and] that he would be a vegetable if he even made it.”

Several days after the accident, Reindl and McKinley’s father made the difficult decision to take their son off life support and signed paperwork to have his organs donated. But just one day before they were scheduled to say their final goodbyes, McKinley started showing signs of brain activity, his mother wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to his recovery. His hand moved, then his feet.

Since then, McKinley has made a remarkable recovery, telling Fox 10 that he believes he was in heaven while his body was on life support.

“There’s no other explanation but God,” he explained. “There’s no other way. Even doctors said it.”

McKinley has undergone three brain surgeries since the accident, and although he’s made great progress thus far, he’s still got a long way to go in his recovery. He’s lost 50 pounds, suffers nerve pain and seizures, and is currently missing half his skull, which will be reattached in an upcoming surgery. You can click here to keep tabs on his recovery and help his family with medical expenses.