An Emirati woman woke up from a 27-year coma last year after sustaining a brain injury in a 1991 car accident, The National reports. Munira Abdulla was picking up her son, Omar Webair, from school one day in Al Ain when she saw a school bus was about to collide with her vehicle. Abdulla reportedly shielded Webair just before impact—sparing her son from any serious injuries but leaving her in a coma. Hours passed before the 36-year-old Abdulla received medical attention, Webair told the website. Abdulla eventually was transferred to a hospital in London, where she was diagnosed to be in a “minimally conscious state.” She was then sent back to the United Arab Emirates, and continued to receive physiotherapy to prevent muscle deterioration and was fed through a tube.

In 2017, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi heard about Abdulla's story and decided to pay for her therapy at a German facility—where she finally woke up. “She was calling my name. I was flying with joy,” Webair said. “For years I have dreamt of this moment, and my name was the first word she said.” Abdulla can now hold conversations on topics she is familiar with, recite Quran verses, and communicate when she is in pain. She continues to receive treatment in Abu Dhabi. “I never gave up on her because I always had a feeling that one day she will wake up,” Webair said.