Martin Pistorius, who lost all his memories after a childhood illness, tells the story of his miraculous reawakening in his memoir, Ghost Boy.

Martin was a sweet, but shy boy. He was a wizard with computers and electronics. He loved his Legos and his dog, Pookie. Martin learned from overheard conversations that his illness began when he came home from school with a sore throat. His condition rapidly deteriorated and he soon could not walk. Within a year, he was in a hospital, not moving or communicating. His muscles deteriorated, causing his hands and feet to curl up. Doctors first suspected a psychological cause. Eventually they decided he had some kind of incurable neurological disorder and advised his parents, Rodney and Joan, to institutionalize him. Instead, his mother quit her job to care for him at home. She became so distraught and despairing that the family started taking Martin to…