A Basingstoke teenager awoke from a coronavirus-induced coma on her 16th birthday and is making a miraculous recovery.

Marisa Bappoo surprised doctors when she regained consciousness sooner than expected after more than a week on a ventilator and heavy sedation.

Her family have paid tribute to the ‘heroic’ doctors and nurses who tended to their daughter, acting quickly to save her life and going above and beyond to make her feel safe and comfortable while in hospital.

Her father, Roshan, told the Gazette: “Before this experience I had heard a few bad things about the NHS. You know what people are like. But all that’s nonsense because what they do is amazing. They are absolutely brilliant.”

“They are our heroes,” the 48-year-old added. “There’s no words to explain what they do. They’re just brilliant.”

Marisa had been showing symptoms of coronavirus in late March. By April 4, those symptoms had worsened, and her parents called for an ambulance.

She was taken to Basingstoke hospital where she was put on a ventilator within an hour. But her condition was so serious that a decision was made to take her to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICA) at Southampton General Hospital, where she arrived the following day.

“I think the fact that they acted so quickly probably saved her life,” said Roshan.

Marisa was sedated and put on ventilation, where she remained for more than a week.

Her birthday was approaching on April 13, but doctors told Roshan and his wife, Anita – both of whom were unable to visit their daughter in person – not to expect her to wake until a few days after.

“But as it happened,” said her father, “she did come around by herself, which was to the doctors’ amazement. They weren’t expecting her to. She just opened her eyes and woke up.”

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Marisa spent another three days in hospital recovering, during which her mum was allowed to stay with her.

The family was reunited on Thursday evening when their daughter returned home just in time for the Claps for Carers event in her street.

Her father recalled: “We got here for about 8pm on the dot and Marisa got an applause as well. My neighbour put some banners out, people were so supportive. It was quite a touching moment of solidarity, and people coming together.”

As well as the speed with which doctors acted when Marisa first arrived in hospital, Roshan has praised the extra lengths that NHS staff went to in caring for his daughter.

They allowed him and Anita to Facetime doctors anytime they wished to check on their daughter, they decorated her room in preparation for her birthday, and they asked more about Marisa's interests, such as her favourite music so they could play songs she liked while she was in a coma.

Marisa says the birthday decorations and the music were some of the first things she remembers after coming around. And she too has shared her gratitude to those that looked after her.

“They were really great,” she said. “I felt safe because they didn’t let any of the nurses leave my side. They held my hand because I felt so frightened.”

“When I woke up it just felt like I went to sleep for a day, but I saw pictures of my family and balloons and I just remember them playing music and stuff.”

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Marisa is now getting better day by day, but Roshan has stressed that his daughter’s miraculous recovery should also serve as a reminder of the importance of adhering to the government’s guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and that it really can affect anybody.

“I think it’s important to make it clear that it’s not just the elderly or people with underlying issues that can get seriously sick,” he said.

“My daughter’s 16, she’s healthy and she got it really bad. It can hit anybody.”

He continued: “It’s very important just to stay at home. That’s the only way we’re going to do this. And by doing that you’re helping the NHS. The less people they have to treat in hospital the easier their job becomes and the quicker we can get through this.”

To show their gratitude, the family have set up a fundraiser for the PICU at Southampton hospital. Already it has doubled their £1,000 target.

“The more we can do for those guys the better,” Roshan said.

“We’re just so lucky to have them. They are brilliant. It means they get more beds, more equipment and they can save more children. And if it helps save another life that’s great.”

“If it weren’t for them, she might not be here sitting with us,” he added.

To visit the fundraiser go to www.facebook.com/donate/656743361556034/