Harrowing Medical Ordeal at Summer Camp
In an extraordinary medical event, British university student Charlie Vincent miraculously survived after being clinically dead for 25 minutes at a US hospital. The 20-year-old’s ordeal began on his first day as a canoeing instructor at a summer camp in New Hampshire. Excessive sun exposure left him with severe second-degree burns on his legs, which he initially overlooked, continuing to work until the pain became unbearable.
Emergency surgery and cardiac arrest
Camp leaders rushed Vincent to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed severe sunburn and pneumonia. During emergency surgery, Vincent’s heart stopped for 25 minutes, and he also suffered a mini-stroke. Remarkably, his heart restarted after the lengthy pause, a moment his family described as miraculous.
Recovery and medical discoveries
Vincent’s sister, Emily, shared that doctors discovered he had an enlarged heart, or cardiomegaly, which means his heart had to work harder than usual. Initially, doctors feared he might need heart and kidney transplants, but against all odds, his organs began to recover.
Emily recounted the emotional turmoil, stating, “At one point, I just couldn’t see a way that Charlie was going to make it, it was absolutely heart-breaking, it was hell. It’s definitely a miracle that he’s still here, I think the hospital he has been in has given him the most amazing care and without that, I don’t think he would have made it.”
Vincent, who was placed in an induced coma for seven days, is now regaining the strength to walk. He is set to return to the UK for further treatment in the coming days on a medical flight.
To support the substantial medical expenses, the Vincent family has set up a GoFundMe page, which has already raised over $16,000. The funds will cover travel costs for his parents and ongoing medical bills.