After more than a year in coma, Ajax Midfielder Abdelhak Nouri finally wakes and can ‘communicate through gestures’.
Nouri was playing for Ajax against Werder Bremen in July 2017 when he collapsed and has been unconscious. He suffered brain damage after a heart attack due to cardiac arrhythmia while playing in the pre-season friendly.
Nouri’s brother confirmed that the Ajax player’s condition is improving and although he cannot move his body yet, he has been helped out of bed and sat in his wheelchair.
“His neurological condition is better than a few months ago. Physically, it’s hard.
“He does not move the body, just the head, but sometimes he gets out of bed to sit in his wheelchair. You can communicate with him.
“In the beginning we were not allowed to stay with him for a long time. Those are the hospital’s rules. You have visiting hours. But after a while the doctors saw that we as family had a lot of influence on Abdelhak.
“He became calmer. He recognised us. We reassure him, he hears a familiar voice. Since then we can, and do, stay with him 24 hours a day. Because it does him good.”