A man has revealed how he partied for four days without realising he had actually been shot in the head.
Mateus Faciom 21, from Brazil, had to have an emergency operation to remove a bullet fragment, which was lodged in his brain when he finally sought medical help.
It's said that the university student had been shot while out on New Year's Eve, but thought he had been hit on the head with a stone.
Not realising what had actually happened, Mateus carried on as normal.
Advert
Incredibly, Mateus even went swimming in the sea, partied with his mates, went to the beach and made a 200 mile journey before realising he'd been shot.
It was only when he started having spasms in his right arm that he went to hospital to get checked out.
The student had been ringing in the new year in Rio de Janeiro, before heading back to his home in Juiz de Fora.
But after having to repeatedly stop driving due to his arm spasms, he realised that something was amiss.
"Part of the bullet penetrated his brain which caused compression in that area and led to his arm’s involuntary movements," said neurosurgeon Flavio Falcometa.
"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."
Police are now investigating who shot Mateus, and are also analysing the bullet which was removed from his head.
Speaking on Brazilian TV show, Jornal Nacional, Mateus explained that the bullet had caused his head to bleed but after taking a shower, he headed out to party.
"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."
Mateus' mum is of course, hugely relieved that her son sought medical help when he did.
"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," she said.
This is both terrifying and kind of impressive.
Topics: News
Lucy Devine