An Australian boy woke up from an induced coma days after a terrifying accident while on holiday in Bali with his family.
Joshua ‘Joshy’ Schuetz, 8, from Perth, was a passenger on a quad bike driven by his brother when the vehicle overturned and pinned him to the ground in Ubud last Wednesday.
The talented futsal player suffered a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage several days before competing in a tournament on the Indonesian island.
Joshua underwent emergency neurosurgery before being flown home in an induced coma last Friday.
He was taken to Perth Children’s Hospital and within three days he was breathing on his own, which was a “huge milestone”.
Family friend Bernice ‘BJ’ Ariasa shared another heartwarming update about Joshua’s ‘pretty incredible progress’ on Wednesday after doctors woke him up, induced him and took him off the ventilator.
Incredibly, Joshua even communicates through hand signals and “the best thing to do is give a thumbs up.”
Joshua ‘Joshy’ Schuetz, 8 (pictured), was trapped under a quad bike in Bali last week and suffered a skull fracture and brain bleed.
The quad accident occurred several days before eight-year-old Joshua (pictured) was due to play in an indoor soccer tournament in Indonesia.
However, Ms. Ariasa added that Joshua still has difficulty speaking due to all the trauma from the various ventilators and tubes being passed down his throat.
“But he asked what happened and they told him, and asked him who is in his team photo and can he name them,” an update from a GoFundMe It started for family reading.
Ariasa added that the 8-year-old boy remembers his relatives visiting him in the hospital.
“When asked who remembers visiting him in the hospital, he remembers Linc going to Bali to talk to him,” he wrote.
“Which is so special and shows how important it is to talk to patients in a coma, regardless of what stage they are at in their journey.”
Despite this, the talented athlete still has a “very long road to recovery,” Ariasa said in his update, but added that Joshua is a “fighter.”
“He knows his teammates are waiting for him on the field when he is ready in due time,” he wrote.
Joshua was on holiday in Bali with his family ahead of a futsal tournament he was due to compete in last weekend with some of his Cockburn Wolves teammates.
Joshua (pictured) was taken off the ventilator after breathing independently and woke up from an induced coma.
The talented athlete (pictured) can name his teammates when shown their photo and communicates using hand signals.
The club has since rallied behind their ‘beloved little champion’ by launching a #staystrongjoshy online campaign.
The teams paid tribute to Joshua during last weekend’s games.
“The Wolves are an inclusive club and we call on all our members from any religious background to pray for healing and hold space in your hearts for Joshy Schuetz and his family,” the club posted.
He GoFundMe to cover the family’s staggering medical bills has already raised more than $126,000.