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The Man Who Woke From a Coma Speaking Chinese
Season 1 · Episode 5

The Man Who Woke From a Coma Speaking Chinese

Ben McMahon learned basic Chinese at high school, but somehow became fluent after waking from a coma.

Extremes · VICE Australia

June 28, 201929m 14s

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Show Notes

Ben McMahon learned Chinese in a Melbourne high school, but, like a lot of people who learn languages at high school, he didn’t really. But years later, when Ben was involved in a car accident, he woke up inexplicably speaking Chinese.


Ben didn’t fumble or hesitate when he spoke. He didn't even have to translate from English in his head. Somehow the parts of his brain responsible for language had mysteriously flipped to Chinese.


On this episode of Extremes we unpack Ben’s belief that destiny put him in that car accident. That he was supposed to learn fluent Chinese and ultimately appear on the world’s most-viewed dating show, "If You Are the One."


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