A UK mother was told by doctors’ family to brace themselves for the worst after she was placed in an induced coma. But in a remarkable turn, she regained consciousness and shared an emotional message with her loved ones.
Jenny Leinster, who works as a support worker, was travelling to her job on June 25 when she was involved in a serious car crash. She sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and was taken to intensive care, where she remained for about a week.
Doctors later carried out a sedation hold in an attempt to see whether she would wake up, but at first there was no response. Medically induced comas are used by medical professionals to minimize swelling and pressure in the brain, allowing it to allocate more energy toward healing.
Additional tests then revealed more damage to Jenny’s brain, prompting medics to warn her relatives, including her daughter Sophie and family friend Freddie, to prepare themselves for the worst.
Sophie said she began to “grieve her mom” after hearing the devastating update from doctors.
Against expectations, though, Jenny woke up just 48 hours later — a moment Sophie has described as a miracle.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” she says.
Although she was unable to speak after regaining consciousness, Jenny still found a way to communicate. She wrote a simple but moving three-word note to her family.
‘I love you’.
Sophie recalled being at her mother’s bedside with a notepad and pen, hoping Jenny might be able to understand or respond in some way.
“I was just next to her bed and I had my notepad and next to me and a pen and I just thought, ‘well you know she can’t communicate verbally you know maybe she can read, or maybe she can write.’
At that stage, Jenny’s right side was completely paralysed, so Sophie placed the pen into her mother’s left hand and positioned the notepad in front of her.
That was when Jenny wrote her first message to her family: “I love you,” — something Sophie says perfectly reflects her mother’s loving nature.
Describing that moment, Sophie said:
“That was the first bit of communication we had from her,” she says. “It really kind of shows the person that she is, because for a lot of people in that situation, they’d be really scared and wouldn’t understand why they’re in the hospital. They’ll be asking things like ‘Why am I here?’
“But the first thing my mom wanted to communicate with us was how much she loved us.”
Sophie said it was the first moment that truly made her feel her mom was still there.
Since then, Sophie and Freddie say Jenny has started speaking again, managing a few quiet words. Her ventilator has also been removed, and she is now breathing on her own.
They say progress is happening little by little each day, though her recovery remains at a crucial stage.
“It’s such a critical time now as Jenny really needs to start accessing the rehab care and specialist input. As much as we can do for her at this point onwards in that first six months, then that will kind of determine what her outcome is, ultimately.”
The family says they have been living with deep uncertainty since the collision. Because every brain injury is different, doctors have explained that they will not be able to offer a clear prognosis for around a year. The first three to six months following a traumatic brain injury typically represent the period of most noticeable improvement, though meaningful recovery can continue for years with intensive rehabilitation and specialized care.
It could take up to 12 months of intense neurological rehabilitation before Jenny’s loved ones have a clearer picture of what her long-term quality of life may be.
Sophie and Freddie have now launched a GoFundMe for Jenny, saying the public response has been overwhelming.
“My mom’s just a person who’s poured herself into the community, friends, family, all her life. And so it’s just been so lovely to see. It just shows how truly loved she is,” Sophie adds.
“She’s an amazing caregiver and has been her whole life. She struggles to accept accept help but she’s just so willing to give it, now she needs all the help she can get.
“Our life has completely changed now, and it will never be the same again. It’s just crazy how that can happen in a second.”