Imagine being trapped in your body for over 20 years, hearing and sensing everything, yet having everyone believing you are a vegetable.

 That's what happened to Ron Houben of Belgium, who was involved in a car accident 23 years ago.  He first slipped into a coma, and then into a vegetative state.  His parents refused to believe that their son was in a vegetative state, and eventually their persistence paid off.

Over the years, Houben’s family refused to accept the word of his doctors, firmly believing their son knew what was happening around him, and gave no thought to letting him die, said his mother, Fina. She was vindicated when the breakthrough came.

Over the years, Houben’s skeptical mother took him to the United States five times for tests. More searching got her in touch with Laureys, who put Houben through a PET scan.

“We saw his brain was almost normal,” said neuropsychologist Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, who has worked with Houben for three years.

The family and doctors then began trying to establish communication. A breakthrough came when he was able to indicate yes or no by slightly moving his foot to push a computer device placed there by Laureys’ team. Then came the spelling of words using the touchscreen.

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