On a Coma Patient

The coma patient had finally been stabilized after the car accident. The vital signs were good. The internal injuries were healing. The problem was, as the doctor saw it, was how long the man would be still in the comatose state. After all, a triple skull fracture was not something easily overcome.

Melvin was his name. His family stayed with him around the clock, taking turns at his bedside, ensuring that someone would be there,hoping and praying that, somehow, their husband and dad would come out of the coma and be his fun-loving self again. You see, Melvin was loved by everyone. He was a fun guy. He was the type of guy you wanted to be around, the type of guy who was the life of the party.  

The family held his hand, and they spoke to him, begging him to wake up. The neurologist said that talking to a coma patient stimulated the brain and sometimes caused the patient to come out of the coma. So, that’s what Melvin‘s family did. For two long weeks.

Then, the neurologist had an idea. He addressed Melvin again, but this time he asked to speak to someone else who lived in Melvin‘s head, another personality, another side of Melvin. To everyone’s surprise, Melvin, using another voice than his own, answered the neurologist. “I’m just fine, doc. How are you?“  All the members of Melvin‘s family and everyone on the hospital’s medical staff were amazed. The doctor smiled and tried talking to Melvin again, this time addressing even another character in Melvin‘s head. Again, a different voice answered the doctor.

Over time, the doctor addressed several different characters in Melvin‘s head, and each personality answered in a different voice. Finally, he asked to speak to Melvin himself, and Melvin answered in his own voice. Soon, he was out of the coma. Within a few months, Melvin was even able to go back to work…from his hospital bed..

What work did Melvin do, you may ask? Well, Melvin was, primarily, a voice actor. Many people probably know him better as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Tweety Bird, among dozens of others. It was these personalities the neurologist addressed, and it was these personalities who answered the doctor.

He was known professionally as Mel Blanc.