'Dead' woman bangs on inside of coffin at her own funeral, comes back to life

Bella Montoya began banging on the inside of her coffin during her own vigil. (Representational)

Awakening in the midst of her own wake, a 76-year-old Ecuadorian woman, Bella Montoya, shocked mourners and medical professionals alike as she began banging on the inside of her coffin.

The astonishing incident took place during a vigil held in the city of Babahoyo on Friday, leaving those in attendance in a state of disbelief. Video footage captured the extraordinary moment when medics rushed to tend to Montoya, who was still alive despite being declared dead.

Montoya's son, Gilbert Balberán, recounted the bewildering turn of events to local media. He stated, "Her left hand was hitting the side of the coffin, and it was shaking."

Balberán revealed that the wake had been arranged merely four hours after his mother had been pronounced dead, and a medical examiner had even provided him with a death certificate. The cause of death cited on the certificate was cardiorespiratory arrest.

According to Balberán, the cardiorespiratory arrest led to Montoya experiencing catalepsy, a condition characterized by body rigidity, reduced sensitivity to pain, and slower bodily functions like breathing.

Consequently, the hospital staff mistakenly believed that she had passed away. Montoya is currently receiving care at the same hospital that had declared her dead, and her son has reported that she is in stable condition.

Describing the incident as a "miracle from God," Balberán is still trying to come to terms with what transpired. He shared his hopes for his mother's recovery, stating, "My mother is on oxygen. Her heart is stable... They tell me this is a good sign because it means she is reacting little by little. Now, I only ask that my mother's health improves. I want her alive and by my side."

The erroneous issuance of a death certificate has prompted Ecuador's Ministry of Health to assign a technical team to investigate the matter. This unsettling occurrence, however, is not an isolated incident.

In a similar episode just last year, relatives of a 3-year-old Mexican girl were astonished to find the glass window of her coffin fogging up during a funeral viewing. Upon checking for a pulse, attendees discovered that the child was still alive, although she later passed away in the hospital.