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The Lazarus Effect: How Often Are People Almost Buried Alive?

We never want to think about or even experience it, but waking up right before your own burial has happened. Learn about the Lazarus effect and why our bodies seem to "come back from the dead."

ByMonica Cull
Credit:sfam_photo/Shutterstock

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Earlier this week, family members of 76-year-old Bella Montoya gathered to mourn her at a funeral parlor in Ecuador. About five hours into the funeral, they heard a strange sound coming from the coffin.

When family members opened the coffin, they found Montoya gasping for air. Paramedics returned her to the hospital where, only hours earlier, she had been declared “dead” by doctors due to complications with a stroke. Montoya remains in the hospital in intensive care.

While we only hope that incidents like these remain few and far between, Montoya is hardly the first person to “come to life” in a coffin at a funeral home. According to CNN, earlier this year, an 82-year-old woman was pronounced dead at a nursing home on Long Island, NY, only to be discovered breathing at the funeral parlor a few hours later. Luckily, in these cases, the two were found alive before ...

  • Monica Cull

    Monica Cull is a Digital Editor/Writer for Discover Magazine who writes and edits articles focusing on animal sciences, ancient humans, national parks, and health trends. 

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