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Man unable to talk or recognise himself after coma

Bea Swallow
BBC News, Bristol
Handout Jamil Hussain lying in a hospital bed with a bandage around his forearm. He is wearing a white Adidas t-shirt and has dark hair and a beard. Sitting beside him is his mother Tazeem wearing a grey cardigan, black hijab and blue medical mask.Handout
Jamil Hussain said his mother (L) was the "driving force behind [his] recovery"

A man who awoke from a three-month coma with no memory of who he was, says helping others in the same position has given him "purpose".

Jamil Hussain, 35, from Lockleaze in Bristol, suffered multiple seizures behind the wheel whilst driving down the M69 during the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.

He was soon diagnosed with limbic encephalitis - a rare neurological condition that causes inflammation in the brain, leading to epilepsy and severe memory loss.

Mr Hussain now acts as a mentor at Henbury's Cygnet Brunel health centre, where he spent 18 months relearning how to walk, talk, and live independently again.

Handout Jamil Hussain standing with his mum and sister and posing for a photo. He is wearing a full grey Nike tracksuit and a black cross body bag. His mother is wearing a light blue abaya dress with a white headscarf. His sister has braided hair and is wearing blue jeans, a blue oversized shirt and a blue headscarf. They are standing in a car park on a sunny day. Handout
Mr Hussain, pictured alongside his mother and sister, says his family were told his "chances for recovery were slim"

"When I woke up, I didn't know who I was or how to do anything," he said.

"I couldn't walk, talk or even recognise most people - only my mum. I remember seeing her and knowing who she was but not being able to speak. It was terrifying."

He said it was the "scariest" moment of his life and it was his mother who helped him through, despite medics originally telling his family his chance of recovery was "slim".

The sight of her familiar face triggered a faint memory of "comfort and safety", which he says "brought him back to reality".

He believes that moment forever changed the trajectory of his life.

"Whenever I feel angry or impulsive, I just remember that moment and think 'that's how close you were to not being able to know anything about yourself, ever again'.

"I could have been in the hospital for the rest of my life, waiting for my brain to put the pieces back together. I was so lucky, and that keeps me level-headed," he added.

Cygnet Jamil Hussain wearing a white t-shirt underneath a white collared shirt, with sunglasses perched on his forehead. He has dark hair and a full beard, and is standing beside a sign for the Cygnet Brunel Health Centre. Cygnet
Jamil Hussain now works as a mentor at the treatment centre where he spent 18 months recovering from a rare neurological condition

In his role as an Expert by Experience, Mr Hussain draws upon his own ordeal to comfort patients and "help them see a way through" their diagnoses.

"I want to be that beacon of light for others who are in still in the thick of their difficult times, helping them see a way through," he said.

His work also involves coaching staff and helping patients feel reassured by someone who's walked in their shoes.

"I want to show people there is light at the end of the tunnel. Life can be even better than it was before. It gives me purpose," he added.

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