20 January 2024 , 14:58
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A student who thought he had been hit in the head by someone throwing a stone later had a bullet removed from his skull.
Mateus Facio, 21, was with friends on a beach near Rio de Janeiro and preparing to see in the New Year when he was hit in the head. Among his friends was a doctor who helped stop the bleeding and they thought nothing of it as they continued the festivities. However a couple of days later he took himself to hospital as his right arm became “droopy” and he started having muscle spasms. Doctors took a CT scan and were shocked when they discovered the 9mm bullet lodged in his head.
He is now recovering at home after undergoing a two hour operation to remove the projectile. He spent two days in intensive care as doctors checked his progress. He told the remarkable story of his survival and ongoing recovery to Brazilian TV show Jornal Nacional.
Mateus recalled: “I thought it was a stone, something like that. It was like the sound of an explosion, when a bomb goes off, but inside my head. The bleeding stopped, we left, I took a shower and went out partying.”
He added to globo : “I went to take a nap and woke up with my arm feeling a little silly, my hand moving strangely, I felt my fingers moving, but I didn't have the confidence to pick something up.”
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
The scan showing the bullet lodged in Mateus' skull (Mateus Facio)Neurosurgeon Flavio Falcometa said after operating on the injured man he believed he would make a full recovery in around a month’s time. He added: “Part of the bullet penetrated his brain which caused compression in that area and led to his arm’s involuntary movements.
“If it had ended up a few millimetres from where it did, it could have caused much more serious damage and left his arm or one side of his body paralysed. It was very risky for the patient but we believe that in 20 to 30 days he will be able to continue with his normal life.”
The student, who dreams of becoming a doctor, is expected to make a full recovery (Mateus Facio)
The cut in his head he put down to being from a stone (Mateus Facio)Police are now analysing the bullet removed from his head as they begin an investigation into who fired the shot at Mateus, who is planning on becoming a doctor.
His relieved mum, Luciana Facio, said: “It’s inexplicable how someone can have a bullet lodged in their head for four days and survive. I feel like my son has been born again.”