When a family in Ecuador lost their mother recently, they thought they had said their final goodbyes, but things took a crazy turn in her wake.
Retired nurse Bella Montoya had died, well, at least her family thought she did, so they planned a wake and funeral. A group of mourners gathered to pay their respects to the beloved mother, and after several hours, they heard banging from inside the coffin. It was as terrifying as it sounds.
Montoya, 76, was taken to Martín Icaza Hospital in Babahoyo on Friday after a medical emergency. Doctors believed that she had suffered a possible stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest, the Associated Press reported. She did not respond to efforts to resuscitate her, so doctors deemed her dead.
Gilberto Barbera, Montoya’s son, told the AP a doctor gave him a death certificate, so the family began making final arrangements. The wake took place later Friday afternoon, and mourners were making the best of the sad day when suddenly, they heard something.
According to her son, the wake had been going on for several hours before anyone realized Montoya was still alive.
“There were about 20 of us there,” Barbera said. “After about five hours of the wake, the coffin started to make sounds. My mom was wrapped in sheets and hitting the coffin, and when we approached we could see that she was breathing heavily.”
