When the author is suddenly paralyzed by an undiagnosed illness, he wakes up to discover he can’t move a muscle, breathe on his own, or open his eyes – but his mind is still normal. He looks brain-dead but is aware of where he is and what is happening to him, and he can hear everything people say. He’s fallen into the rare state called “totally locked in” – he's become a prisoner inside his own body.

Narrated first-hand from the patient’s point of view, A Fallen Marionette vividly conveys his experience of being locked-in, including the sounds and movements, pain and fear, loneliness, love, and hope he feels. You will also learn how his family’s courage, his physician Dr. Kumar’s compassion, and the medical team’s commitment to his recovery helped him survive when there seemed to be no reason left to live.

This inspiring true story of a...