The Day Donny Herbert Woke Up A True Story

The remarkable story of a Fireman who miraculously came out of a coma for one full day On a brutally cold December day, Donny Herbert, a hardworking FireFighter from Buffalo, New York, was searching the attic of a burning house. The roof, heavy with snow, suddenly collapsed, and for six minutes he was without oxygen. Donnya beloved husband, a father of four boys, and a neighborhood Fixture who was always willing to lend a helping handfell into a vegetative state that lasted nearly a decade. His prognosis was poor, and while he could open his eyes, he was unresponsive to the world around him. Donny Herbert was, for all practical purposes, gone. Until one day, in April 2005, when he woke up and spoke almost nonstop to his family and loved ones for nearly sixteen hours. The Day Donny Herbert Woke Upis the story of this unforgettable time, which was covered by the press worldwide. After his extraordinary day, Donny fell into a deep sleep and never experienced a comparable moment of clarity. He died of pneumonia in February 2006. For his doctors and nurses, it is a medical mystery. For his wife, Linda, who had held the family together for years, who had prayed nightly for Donny's recovery, no explanation is needed: prayer and love brought Donny back to her one last time.The Day Donny Herbert Woke Upis as much Linda's storyone of perseverance and faithas it is of an exceptional husband, father, and FireFighter.

Buffalo native RICH BLAKE is a veteran journalist and currently a senior editor at Trader Monthly magazine. In 2004, Blake was nominated for a National Magazine Award in the reporting category and is the author of Talking Proud: Rediscovering the Magical Season of the 1980 Buffalo Bills. He lives in New York City.


From the Hardcover edition.