Xiao Li of Shenzhen, China spent a week in an internet cafe researching business opportunities. After going a week without sleep, he fell into a deep coma and remained in that state for over a year.
There was little hope for him to recover. But the magic of the human spirit endured within him. When a nurse waved a 100-yuan ($16 USD) bill under his nose, Li revived. The New York Post describes this perhaps apocryphal scene:
For months doctors searched for a way to awaken Li, but to no avail. It wasn’t until his family revealed what he loved most in the world that they found their key to success.
“We had asked his family what really drove him, and they were very clear that it was money,” Tang said. “When we learned about his fondness for money, we experimented with notes and change.
“Memories of smell and sound can be very powerful stimulants,” he added. “We found that a crisp, new 100 yuan note crumpled under his nose worked best.”
In the course of a human life, it often takes a great crisis to remind us of what’s really important.
Credit: NY Post article: Comatose man wakes up after nurses put cash under his nose!