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WA teen who fell five storeys miraculously survives landing on his face

A Perth teenager who fell from a five-storey balcony and landed on his face has stunned doctors with his miraculous recovery.

Noah Bahigwa of Brookdale was not expected to survive after he plunged from the Mounts Bay Road apartment, but his mum simply wouldn't let him give up.

The 16-year-old’s brain was so severely damaged he couldn’t breathe on his own, and when he opened his eyes four days later he had no idea he’d had emergency surgery.

Noah had been trying to climb up to the apartment where he had been staying. He only survived because of the way he landed.

Noah Bahigwa underwent emergency brain surgery after plunging from the balcony. Source: 7 News
Noah Bahigwa underwent emergency brain surgery after plunging from the balcony. Source: 7 News
He had been climbing up the apartment where he had been staying. Source: 7 News
He had been climbing up the apartment where he had been staying. Source: 7 News

“I feel lucky, real lucky,” he said.

“When I got to the fifth floor, I slipped and I just hit the ground.”

Royal Perth Hospital neurosurgeon, Dr Arul Bala, told 7 News that Noah’s bruised brain was actually leaking out through a hole at the base of his skull.

As Noah clinged to life, his monther praised that her youngest son would somehow recover.

Noah has made a miraculous recovery, however it's unknown if he will regain vision in his right eye. Source: 7 News
Noah has made a miraculous recovery, however it's unknown if he will regain vision in his right eye. Source: 7 News

While the first challenge was focused on keeping Noah alive, it was when he woke up that the real challenge commenced.

He underwent extensive rehabilitation to get his brain functioning normally again, however he still can’t see out of his right eye.