On a quiet spring morning at Brooks School, just after sunrise, Wakeman Gribbell was doing what he loved most — rowing with his crew team on Lake Cochichewick. But what began as a normal practice took a sudden turn when Wakeman developed a severe headache mid-row — one so intense he had to stop. His teammates and coach immediately knew something was wrong.
Coach Smith quickly got Wakeman back to shore and into his car, but before they reached the school’s health center, Wakeman collapsed. By the time they arrived, he was unconscious. The nurses acted swiftly, calling an ambulance to take him to the nearest hospital. There, doctors recognized the severity of the situation — Wakeman needed the highly specialized care of Boston Children’s Hospital, and he needed it fast.
Boston MedFlight was called in. Our critical care transport team flew Wakeman from Lawrence General Hospital to Boston in just seven minutes, providing ICU-level care en route. That speed — and the coordinated efforts of his coach, teammates, school staff, first responders, and medical teams — saved his life.
Wakeman had suffered a ruptured brain artery — a rare, often fatal event. Emergency neurosurgery awaited him upon arrival, followed by a medically induced coma that lasted 12 days. Every day, doctors told his mother, “We don’t know if he’ll make it. It depends on how resilient he is.”
He woke up on day 12 — asking for root beer.
Wakeman’s journey since then has been one of extraordinary perseverance. He spent weeks in the ICU and at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, relearning basic functions, celebrating small milestones, and gaining a new perspective.
“I’ll admit I didn’t always appreciate the little things,” he says. “But now I try to remind myself every day just how lucky I am.”
Boston MedFlight is honored to have played a part in Wakeman’s story. His gratitude, resilience, and determination inspire us — and underscore why every second, and every action, matters in critical care transport.
