In a bizarre turn of events that left many locals in Ecuador stunned, Bella Montoya, a 76-year-old woman, knocked on her coffin and ‘came back to life’ hours after being declared dead by a doctor at the hospital. According to reports, Montoya was pronounced dead at the hospital on Friday and her family brought her home for a vigil and funeral preparations. However, during the wake, Montoya suddenly knocked on her coffin, shocking the mourners who were gathered around her. The family quickly opened the coffin to find Montoya alive and breathing.
The incident has sparked widespread discussions and debates about the accuracy of medical diagnoses and the possibility of people being wrongly declared dead. While Montoya’s case is rare, there have been other instances where people have been declared dead only to come back to life later. The incident has also highlighted the cultural practices in Ecuador where wakes are held for several days before the actual funeral.
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The story of Bella Montoya has gone viral on social media with many people expressing their amazement and disbelief at what happened. Some have even called it a miracle while others have tried to explain it scientifically. Regardless of the explanations, Montoya’s story will go down in history as one of the most bizarre incidents to ever take place in Ecuador.
The thought of waking up in a coffin while being pronounced dead is a terrifying prospect, but it has happened to a few unfortunate individuals throughout history. In another case from 2015, a 16-year-old girl named Neysi Perez reportedly woke up screaming inside her coffin after being declared dead by doctors in Honduras.
Perez had fallen unconscious after waking up in the night to use the restroom and became lifeless after her parents believed she had become possessed by an evil spirit and called a priest to exorcise her. According to reports, Perez may have suffered a severe panic or cataplexy attack, which caused an abrupt loss of voluntary muscle function triggered by stress or fear, during which she maintained full conscious awareness.
She may have then died from a lack of oxygen after waking up inside the closed coffin. Her mother believes Perez was buried alive and blames medics for being too quick to sign her death certificate. Other instances of people waking up in coffins include the story of Margorie McCall, who reportedly awoke in her coffin after dying of a fever in 1705 in Ireland. Her body was quickly buried to prevent the sickness from spreading, but body snatchers dug up her grave and fled after she woke up.
The account also details ten additional cases, including Mrs. Blunden who was declared dead and woke up in her coffin twice, and Matthew Wall who was almost buried alive but went on to live for 24 more years. While it is rare for people to be mistaken for dead, it is not impossible. Certain medical conditions and situations can trigger reactions that mimic death, such as the case of Perez’s cataplexy attack.
Despite the rarity of such occurrences, the fear of being buried alive has led to various safety measures throughout history, including bells attached to coffins that could be rung by those mistakenly declared dead. Overall, the idea of waking up in a coffin while being pronounced dead remains a terrifying thought, but it is a reminder to always remain vigilant in ensuring that proper medical protocols are followed to prevent such incidents from occurring.
Image via Aztec News / Twitter