Cases of “sudden genius” are incredibly rare. Some put the number of instant savants at dozens throughout the world. It seems as if one more has been added to the list, as 16-year-old Reuben Nsemoh can now speak fluent Spanish after suffering a devastating head injury when he was kicked in the head playing soccer.
Like many instant savants, this horrifying head injury resulted in an instant change after Nsemoh was thankfully able to awake from his coma. His first words after he opened his eyes were, “Tengo hambre.” Yes, he woke up and said, “I am hungry” in Spanish. His family is dealing with his struggle as he continues his recovery, but they’re just happy to have their son back and on the road to wellness. “My son is awake, I don’t care what language he’s speaking,” his mother, Dorah Nsemoh told Time.
This injury is pushing his coach, who feared rightfully for Nsemoh’s life that day on the pitch, to introduce rule and regulation changes that would require goalies to wear helmets. And despite the sudden positive of being fluently bilingual, Nsemoh’s family has been hit hard by medical bills. The family currently owes over $200,000 for his care, and a GoFundMe page has been set up to donate to the family.
(Via Complex)
