The Day Donny Herbert Woke Up

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. Donny—a beloved husband, a father of four boys, and a neighborhood fixture who was always willing to lend a helping hand—fell 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 Up is 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 Up is as much Linda’s story—one of perseverance and faith—as it is of an exceptional husband, father, and firefighter.