Abu Dhabi: A 22-year-old Emirati from Al Ain who was in a coma for around five months after a major car crash and woke up with no memory of who he was and with severe physical injuries, has made a remarkable recovery for which he credits his country’s constant support to its citizens by providing them with the care they require.
“I hope I can meet His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan [Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces] one day, so I can tell him in person just how thankful I am for the medical care that I received in the UAE and abroad,” Mohammad Al Jeadi told Gulf News during one of his visits to Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Centre (CMRC) in Al Ain.
“It is because of him and our other leaders that we have access to the best care, I am truly thankful,” he added.
Al Jeadi was involved in a serious car crash in Al Ain in early 2013 which caused him severe head injuries, crushed a number of his bones, saw him relapse into a coma and in a life-threatening condition. He was rushed to a hospital in Abu Dhabi where at one point doctors warned his family to prepare for the worst as they were not sure if he would make it.
However, Al Jeadi fought for his life and his condition slowly stabilised, which took around two months. He was then immediately transferred to a hospital in Germany to receive further treatment.
After about five months in a coma in Germany Al Jeadi woke up. However, as a result of his brain injuries, he could not remember who he was. He was also unable to speak, had partial blindness and suffered from restricted physical movement which meant he had to learn to walk again.
“I can’t remember exactly everything from when I woke up but I know I was shocked. I couldn’t walk. I didn’t know who I was.”
“But the shock didn’t last long because my mum and my brother were there with me. They helped me slowly to remember who I was.”
Al Jeadi received treatment and rehabilitation in Germany for another year after he came out of his coma. As his condition slowly improved he returned to the UAE in October 2014 and was transferred directly from the airport to CMRC in Abu Dhabi in order to continue with his rehabilitation treatment.
Al Jeadi worked relentlessly with specialists to regain his memory and to recover physically in an effort to get his life back.
“I didn’t want to go home until the old Mohammad was back. I wanted to be able to do things for myself,” said Al Jeadi.
According to Al Jeadi, he loved photography, was studying to be an airline pilot, loved fast cars and was an outgoing guy who loved meeting his friends and family.
After 10 months of intense therapy and extreme hard work at the centre, he got to a stage where he could manage most of his tasks on his own, which was a surprise to the majority of people who had visited him in hospital and an absolute delight to his family.
Today, Al Jeadi attends college, goes to the gym daily, enjoys going to the Al Ain shooting club and, although his memory is still hazy and he does not have the strength to be out of his wheelchair for too long, he is working hard to get the “old Mohammad back”.
“As long as you can breathe, you are alive. There is a reason Allah kept me alive so I have to keep working hard to get better.”
Al Jeadi’s inspirational positive attitude towards life and refusal to feel sorry for himself is infectious. He repeatedly thanks God for being alive, encourages anyone around him to be the best that they can be and not to waste any time in their lives.
“I still hope that one day I can become a pilot. I don’t know how but I will work hard and do everything I can to get better and the rest is in God’s hands.”
“I am also very lucky to be from a country that really looks after its people.”
