A 13-year-old from Alabama who was declared brain dead for 15 minutes has made a miraculous recovery, coming back to life as his parents prepared to donate his organs.
Trenton McKinley was being towed on a trailer behind his friend's dune buggy in Trenton in March when it flipped, smashing his head into the concrete.
Upon being rushed into emergency surgery his parents were told he had seven skull fractures.
"All I saw was a stretcher with his feet hanging out. He was dead a total of 15 minutes," Trenton's mother Jennifer Reindl told FOX10.
Ms Reindl told The Wichita Eagle that her son had died four times during two different surgeries. After being brought back to life for the fourth time, doctors couldn't detect any brain waves.
Doctors were so sure he would never recover his parents signed papers to have his organs donated.
"Five kids needed organs that matched him," Ms Reindl said.
"It was unfair to keep bringing him back, because it was just damaging his organs even more."
But despite doctors' conclusions, his brain began showing signs of activity again - one day before he was due to be pulled from life support.
He even began breathing on his own and spoke in full sentences when he woke.
Yet the road to recovery has been far from smooth - Trenton has had three brain surgeries, lost 22kg and suffers daily from nerve pain and seizures.
But his attitude has stayed positive. Pointing to the dent in the side of his skull, Trenton joked with FOX10 that he could "turn sideways and put salsa in there and eat chips and dip out of my head".
"No more washing dishes for me!"
Trenton will soon return to hospital to have part of his skull reattached.
Newshub.
