Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

---

Sam Goddard was just 23 when he suffered a series of catastrophic strokes that left him unable to talk.

Doctors thought he had suffered irreversible brain damage, but Sam was aware of his surroundings and trapped in an internal prison, unable to express himself.

Sam’s family and then-fiancée refused to accept the bleak medical assessment and for seven years fought to help release him from his state.

They discovered a “miracle drug” that allowed him to speak for just a short window of time.

The results were incredible to witness.

These episode first aired on ABC's Australian Story in 2011 and 2017.

Subscribe: ab.co/3yqPOZ5

Read more here: bit.ly/4wGL0dm

#AustralianStory #Documentary #Stroke
___________________________________________________

About Australian Story: The power of the personal. Compelling stories about real people that illuminate, entertain and inspire.

Watch more Australian Story documentaries here: bit.ly/36ABH2J
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/abcaustralianstory

Welcome to ABC News In-depth, where you'll find our long-form journalism and other videos to help you understand what's going on in the world around you.

Watch more ABC News content ad-free on ABC iview: ab.co/2OB7Mk1

For more from ABC News, click here: ab.co/2kxYCZY

Get breaking news and livestreams from our ABC News channel: youtube.com/user/NewsOnABC
Like ABC News on Facebook: facebook.com/abcnews.au
Follow ABC News on Instagram: instagram.com/abcnews_au
Follow ABC News on Twitter: twitter.com/abcnews

Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.