MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG)– A Memphis man suffering from severe heat stroke is making what his family calls an unexplainable recovery.
The family of Ryan Hopgood, co-founder of a Facebook group called Memphis Sandwich Clique, had already made their final farewells when prayers for his recovery were answered.
His mother Donna Hopgood praises a higher power for her son Ryan’s continued recovery from a heat stroke he suffered on June 12.
“It was just a freak thing. He went out with friends, partying on Beale Street, and didn’t want to drive, fell asleep in his car,” Donna said.
She said Ryan became separated from his friends and fell asleep in his small sportscar in the area of Front Street and MLK Jr. Avenue.
Ryan’s sister Olivia Hopgood said he slept in the car and became a victim of heat stroke.
“Passer byers found him around 10:30 in the morning and called the EMTs,” Olivia said.
Olivia said her brother was rushed to Methodist University Hospital where she was told his body temperature had reached 105 degrees. He was intubated and put on a ventilator.
After six and half days and batteries of tests, including MRIs and EEGs, doctors were seeing minimal brain function in the 28-year-old and Ryan’s family soon faced their biggest fear.
“Then we made the decision as a family to take him off the ventilator,” Olivia said. “They told us that if they take him off the ventilator that his body will naturally “pass” because of the minimal brain activity.”
As Ryan’s family was weighing the option of donating his organs, a miracle happened. His mother said as the hospital staff was taking steps to remove Ryan from his ventilator, he actually spoke.
“He said his teeth hurt. He just started talking,” Donna said.
According to his mother, the hospital staff was near speechless at what had just happened.
“They said, ‘we have never, we don’t see things like this. There’s no way to explain it except for it is a miracle,” she said.
Now, Ryan is making slow progress, undergoing therapy, and speaking a bit.
Ryan’s family would like to thank whoever it was that happened to look down into Ryan’s sportscar and notice he was in trouble and call for help.
We reached out to Methodist University Hospital for a comment but were told they are not allowed to discuss any particular patient’s care or current treatment.
Ryan’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help with his medical expenses. Click here if you would like to donate.
