He was a prisoner in his own body and abused by those charged with his care. This is how he survived.

February 12, 2015

Writer

On last night’s TV show, Glenn shared the screen with a remarkable man: Martin Pistorious. For years, Martin found himself stricken with locked-in syndrome. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. But he was aware of what was going on around him. He felt the abuse of a nurse who should have been caring for him. He heard his mother at her lowest point telling him he needed to die. How did he make it through the darkness? It’s a truly inspiring story.

Below is a transcript of this interview:

In 1988, Martin Pistorius looked like a healthy 12-year-old boy, vibrant, playful, but inside his body was undergoing a mysterious and steadfast breakdown. It began with a sore throat and ended in the unimaginable. “My muscles wasted, my limbs became spastic, and my hands and feet curled in on themselves like claws.”

Soon, this once imaginative young boy was mute and wheelchair-bound. Doctors diagnosed him with an unknown degenerative disease and gave him two years to live in a vegetative state, but eventually his mind awakened. “Just as a photographer carefully adjusts his camera lens until the picture becomes clear, it took time for my mind to focus. Although my body and I were locked in an endless flight, my mind got stronger as the pieces of my consciousness knitted themselves together.”

His now-functioning brain became acutely aware of the life that surrounded him. For 12 years, he lived as a prisoner, a ghost trapped in his own body. Now, Martin Pistorius shares his incredible journey to overcome physical and mental torment and why he’s pushed the resentment aside to make room for love and compassion.

Glenn: I don’t even know where to begin on this. Here in America, we’ve had a girl who was pretty much trapped in a hospital that we were afraid the hospital was doing horrible things to, and she was just released back to her family. I was good friends with Terry Schiavo, who was a very important case here in America that was in a vegetative state, and they starved her to death. And here you are, I don’t even know, the best case scenario or the worst-case scenario, kind of everybody’s worst nightmare of being trapped inside of your body.

You first get sick. You have a sore throat. You slip into unconsciousness, and then can you describe when you first start coming back and you realize you don’t have control of your body?

Martin: It took a while for me to become fully aware and conscious of everything going on around me. I often say it was like being a ghost, which is why the title of the book is Ghost Boy. You can hear, see, and understand everything around you, but you have absolutely no power over anything. For me, the feeling of complete and utter powerlessness is probably the worst feeling I have ever experienced, and I hope I never have to experience again. It is like you don’t exist. Every single thing in your life is decided by someone else, everything from what you wear to what you eat and drink, even if you eat or drink to where you will be tomorrow or next week, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Glenn: What was the bottom for you?

Martin: Times lots of pain and hurt, and not just for me, but for my family too, because what happened to me had a huge impact on them too. Going through what I did was really rough. I would probably say the darkest moments were when I wanted to die and realized that I couldn’t even do that.

Glenn: You talk about a couple of people in here in the chapter Lurking in Plain Sight. You talk about a woman who came and would molest you, and she was talking to you like you were a doll and would turn your head. You talked about having nightmares at night that she would come and visit you again. Has she been arrested?

Martin: No, not to the best of my knowledge.

Glenn: Have you pressed charges?

Martin: We talked about it. The difficulty was I was so vulnerable at the time I disclosed the abuse, and also there is no protection for the victim, so while it was reported to our local doctor, I don’t think anything came of that.

Glenn: Holy cow. So, your mom, and I understand that you’re close to your mom and dad, but as you said, this tore apart your whole family. Your mother, you had kind of a bad experience with your mom where she was at her lowest period. What did she say to you?

Martin: One night after yet another lengthy argument, my mother turned to me and told me I must die. Obviously at that moment that was a really difficult thing to hear, particularly coming from my mom. I was upset by it, of course, but I never really felt any hard feelings towards my mother for saying that, and if I am honest, it wasn’t something I hadn’t already thought about. I think what probably upset me more wasn’t what she said but that we were in a situation where she felt that everyone would be better off if I wasn’t alive. I feel sad when I think back and remember all the feelings and upset that everyone was feeling. I am not angry or resentful or anything like that. In fact, I feel enormous compassion and love for my mom.

Glenn: How did you get here? How did you have all of these horrible things happen to you and you say to me you feel compassion and love, and you’re happy? When I met you, you smiled just like that. When I met you, you could see it, you have love in you. How did you get there?

Martin: I can only say that it was through God’s grace, because I couldn’t do it on my own.

Glenn: Did you believe in God before? Because you couldn’t communicate to anyone. Did you have moments of feeling connected to Him? Did you find Him through this? Did you ever question Him, like why me? Where are you?

Martin: I don’t know how I came to realize God. He was just always there. I don’t know how to explain it really, but I always knew He was and still is there. I grew up in a Christian home; however, we very rarely attended church. This, combined with the path my life has taken, meant that I never really learned the formalities of the church. Perhaps it is because of all I have been through I became very close to God. There were many, many times where in some sense I felt utterly alone even if there were people around me; however, I always seem to pause when making that statement because while a part of me experienced the extreme loneliness and isolation, another part of me always felt the presence of the Lord.

I found myself talking to God. Perhaps one could call them prayers rather than conversations, even though my eyes may have been open and my hands weren’t pressed together. Through everything I went through, I prayed for help, strength, and forgiveness for myself and others. I gave thanks for the blessings I had and especially for the prayers answered, even if they were as small as someone moving my body into a different position that alleviated the pain. It is amazing what you can be grateful for, simple things that a lot of people may not even think about, like to sit all day comfortably for a while.

For me, God is always there, a constant companion, and yes, I believe had it not been through God’s hand, I would not be where I am today. If I stop and think about everything that had to happen and the odds of it happening then, there is no doubt in my mind that that clearly have happened through divine intervention. And to answer your other question, no, I never questioned Him or wondered “Why me?” I don’t know why. I just never did.

Glenn: Oh my gosh. What would you say to people who have family members in a vegetative state that think that nobody can hear them, that they’re not in there? What would you say to a society? Should we have killed you, as a society?

Martin: That is a really difficult question to answer, because I feel everyone is unique, and every case is different. So, in truth, I don’t know the answer to that question. Obviously, I am very grateful and thankful that I am here now, but what I would say is that there is always hope, no matter how small.

Glenn: I think we leave it at that. I have to tell you, I just emailed my wife before you came in, and I told her that I miss holding her hand. I love couples that hold hands. It screams about their relationship. You two are both, you can see the light in your eyes. You’re just both remarkable people. It’s an honor to meet you both. Thank you.

Martin: Thank you and an honor and privilege to meet you.

Glenn: Thank you. You guys are the best, really an honor.

What our response to Israel reveals about us

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I have been honored to receive the Defender of Israel Award from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The Jerusalem Post recently named me one of the strongest Christian voices in support of Israel.

And yet, my support is not blind loyalty. It’s not a rubber stamp for any government or policy. I support Israel because I believe it is my duty — first as a Christian, but even if I weren’t a believer, I would still support her as a man of reason, morality, and common sense.

Because faith isn’t required to understand this: Israel’s existence is not just about one nation’s survival — it is about the survival of Western civilization itself.

It is a lone beacon of shared values in the Middle East. It is a bulwark standing against radical Islam — the same evil that seeks to dismantle our own nation from within.

And my support is not rooted in politics. It is rooted in something simpler and older than politics: a people’s moral and historical right to their homeland, and their right to live in peace.

Israel has that right — and the right to defend herself against those who openly, repeatedly vow her destruction.

Let’s make it personal: if someone told me again and again that they wanted to kill me and my entire family — and then acted on that threat — would I not defend myself? Wouldn’t you? If Hamas were Canada, and we were Israel, and they did to us what Hamas has done to them, there wouldn’t be a single building left standing north of our border. That’s not a question of morality.

That’s just the truth. All people — every people — have a God-given right to protect themselves. And Israel is doing exactly that.

My support for Israel’s right to finish the fight against Hamas comes after eighty years of rejected peace offers and failed two-state solutions. Hamas has never hidden its mission — the eradication of Israel. That’s not a political disagreement.

That’s not a land dispute. That is an annihilationist ideology. And while I do not believe this is America’s war to fight, I do believe — with every fiber of my being — that it is Israel’s right, and moral duty, to defend her people.

Criticism of military tactics is fair. That’s not antisemitism. But denying Israel’s right to exist, or excusing — even celebrating — the barbarity of Hamas? That’s something far darker.

We saw it on October 7th — the face of evil itself. Women and children slaughtered. Babies burned alive. Innocent people raped and dragged through the streets. And now, to see our own fellow citizens march in defense of that evil… that is nothing short of a moral collapse.

If the chants in our streets were, “Hamas, return the hostages — Israel, stop the bombing,” we could have a conversation.

But that’s not what we hear.

What we hear is open sympathy for genocidal hatred. And that is a chasm — not just from decency, but from humanity itself. And here lies the danger: that same hatred is taking root here — in Dearborn, in London, in Paris — not as horror, but as heroism. If we are not vigilant, the enemy Israel faces today will be the enemy the free world faces tomorrow.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about truth. It’s about the courage to call evil by its name and to say “Never again” — and mean it.

And you don’t have to open a Bible to understand this. But if you do — if you are a believer — then this issue cuts even deeper. Because the question becomes: what did God promise, and does He keep His word?

He told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” He promised to make Abraham the father of many nations and to give him “the whole land of Canaan.” And though Abraham had other sons, God reaffirmed that promise through Isaac. And then again through Isaac’s son, Jacob — Israel — saying: “The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I give to you and to your descendants after you.”

That’s an everlasting promise.

And from those descendants came a child — born in Bethlehem — who claimed to be the Savior of the world. Jesus never rejected His title as “son of David,” the great King of Israel.

He said plainly that He came “for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And when He returns, Scripture says He will return as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” And where do you think He will go? Back to His homeland — Israel.

Tamir Kalifa / Stringer | Getty Images

And what will He find when He gets there? His brothers — or his brothers’ enemies? Will the roads where He once walked be preserved? Or will they lie in rubble, as Gaza does today? If what He finds looks like the aftermath of October 7th, then tell me — what will be my defense as a Christian?

Some Christians argue that God’s promises to Israel have been transferred exclusively to the Church. I don’t believe that. But even if you do, then ask yourself this: if we’ve inherited the promises, do we not also inherit the land? Can we claim the birthright and then, like Esau, treat it as worthless when the world tries to steal it?

So, when terrorists come to slaughter Israelis simply for living in the land promised to Abraham, will we stand by? Or will we step forward — into the line of fire — and say,

“Take me instead”?

Because this is not just about Israel’s right to exist.

It’s about whether we still know the difference between good and evil.

It’s about whether we still have the courage to stand where God stands.

And if we cannot — if we will not — then maybe the question isn’t whether Israel will survive. Maybe the question is whether we will.

America’s moral erosion: How we were conditioned to accept the unthinkable

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Every time we look away from lawlessness, we tell the next mob it can go a little further.

Chicago, Portland, and other American cities are showing us what happens when the rule of law breaks down. These cities have become openly lawless — and that’s not hyperbole.

When a governor declares she doesn’t believe federal agents about a credible threat to their lives, when Chicago orders its police not to assist federal officers, and when cartels print wanted posters offering bounties for the deaths of U.S. immigration agents, you’re looking at a country flirting with anarchy.

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic.

This isn’t a matter of partisan politics. The struggle we’re watching now is not between Democrats and Republicans. It’s between good and evil, right and wrong, self‑government and chaos.

Moral erosion

For generations, Americans have inherited a republic based on law, liberty, and moral responsibility. That legacy is now under assault by extremists who openly seek to collapse the system and replace it with something darker.

Antifa, well‑financed by the left, isn’t an isolated fringe any more than Occupy Wall Street was. As with Occupy, big money and global interests are quietly aligned with “anti‑establishment” radicals. The goal is disruption, not reform.

And they’ve learned how to condition us. Twenty‑five years ago, few Americans would have supported drag shows in elementary schools, biological males in women’s sports, forced vaccinations, or government partnerships with mega‑corporations to decide which businesses live or die. Few would have tolerated cartels threatening federal agents or tolerated mobs doxxing political opponents. Yet today, many shrug — or cheer.

How did we get here? What evidence convinced so many people to reverse themselves on fundamental questions of morality, liberty, and law? Those long laboring to disrupt our republic have sought to condition people to believe that the ends justify the means.

Promoting “tolerance” justifies women losing to biological men in sports. “Compassion” justifies harboring illegal immigrants, even violent criminals. Whatever deluded ideals Antifa espouses is supposed to somehow justify targeting federal agents and overturning the rule of law. Our culture has been conditioned for this moment.

The buck stops with us

That’s why the debate over using troops to restore order in American cities matters so much. I’ve never supported soldiers executing civilian law, and I still don’t. But we need to speak honestly about what the Constitution allows and why. The Posse Comitatus Act sharply limits the use of the military for domestic policing. The Insurrection Act, however, exists for rare emergencies — when federal law truly can’t be enforced by ordinary means and when mobs, cartels, or coordinated violence block the courts.

Even then, the Constitution demands limits: a public proclamation ordering offenders to disperse, transparency about the mission, a narrow scope, temporary duration, and judicial oversight.

Soldiers fight wars. Cops enforce laws. We blur that line at our peril.

But we also cannot allow intimidation of federal officers or tolerate local officials who openly obstruct federal enforcement. Both extremes — lawlessness on one side and militarization on the other — endanger the republic.

The only way out is the Constitution itself. Protect civil liberty. Enforce the rule of law. Demand transparency. Reject the temptation to justify any tactic because “our side” is winning. We’ve already seen how fear after 9/11 led to the Patriot Act and years of surveillance.

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic. The left cannot be allowed to shut down enforcement, and the right cannot be allowed to abandon constitutional restraint.

The real threat to the republic isn’t just the mobs or the cartels. It’s us — citizens who stop caring about truth and constitutional limits. Anything can be justified when fear takes over. Everything collapses when enough people decide “the ends justify the means.”

We must choose differently. Uphold the rule of law. Guard civil liberties. And remember that the only way to preserve a government of, by, and for the people is to act like the people still want it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Stand with Voddie Baucham’s family in this time of loss

In the quiet aftermath of a profound loss, the Christian community mourns the unexpected passing of Dr. Voddie Baucham, a towering figure in evangelical circles. Known for his defense of biblical truth, Baucham, a pastor, author, and theologian, left a legacy on family, faith, and opposing "woke" ideologies in the church. His book Fault Lines challenged believers to prioritize Scripture over cultural trends. Glenn had Voddie on the show several times, where they discussed progressive influences in Christianity, debunked myths of “Christian nationalism,” and urged hope amid hostility.

The shock of Baucham's death has deeply affected his family. Grieving, they remain hopeful in Christ, with his wife, Bridget, now facing the task of resettling in the US without him. Their planned move from Lusaka, Zambia, was disrupted when their home sale fell through last December, resulting in temporary Airbnb accommodations, but they have since secured a new home in Cape Coral that requires renovations. To ensure Voddie's family is taken care of, a fundraiser is being held to raise $2 million, which will be invested for ongoing support, allowing Bridget to focus on her family.

We invite readers to contribute prayerfully. If you feel called to support the Bauchams in this time of need, you can click here to donate.

We grieve and pray with hope for the Bauchams.

May Voddie's example inspire us.

From isolation to connection: Overcoming loneliness

Loneliness isn’t just being alone — it’s feeling unseen, unheard, and unimportant, even amid crowds and constant digital chatter.

Loneliness has become an epidemic in America. Millions of people, even when surrounded by others, feel invisible. In tragic irony, we live in an age of unparalleled connectivity, yet too many sit in silence, unseen and unheard.

I’ve been experiencing this firsthand. My children have grown up and moved out. The house that once overflowed with life now echoes with quiet. Moments that once held laughter now hold silence. And in that silence, the mind can play cruel games. It whispers, “You’re forgotten. Your story doesn’t matter.”

We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

It’s a lie.

I’ve seen it in others. I remember sitting at Rockefeller Center one winter, watching a woman lace up her ice skates. Her clothing was worn, her bag battered. Yet on the ice, she transformed — elegant, alive, radiant.

Minutes later, she returned to her shoes, merged into the crowd, unnoticed. I’ve thought of her often. She was not alone in her experience. Millions of Americans live unseen, performing acts of quiet heroism every day.

Shared pain makes us human

Loneliness convinces us to retreat, to stay silent, to stop reaching out to others. But connection is essential. Even small gestures — a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a shared meal — are radical acts against isolation.

I’ve learned this personally. Years ago, a caller called me “Mr. Perfect.” I could have deflected, but I chose honesty. I spoke of my alcoholism, my failed marriage, my brokenness. I expected judgment. Instead, I found resonance. People whispered back, “I’m going through the same thing. Thank you for saying it.”

Our pain is universal. Everyone struggles with self-doubt and fear. Everyone feels, at times, like a fraud. We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

We were made for connection. We were built for community — for conversation, for touch, for shared purpose. Every time we reach out, every act of courage and compassion punches a hole in the wall of isolation.

You’re not alone

If you’re feeling alone, know this: You are not invisible. You are seen. You matter. And if you’re not struggling, someone you know is. It’s your responsibility to reach out.

Loneliness is not proof of brokenness. It is proof of humanity. It is a call to engage, to bear witness, to connect. The world is different because of the people who choose to act. It is brighter when we refuse to be isolated.

We cannot let silence win. We cannot allow loneliness to dictate our lives. Speak. Reach out. Connect. Share your gifts. By doing so, we remind one another: We are all alike, and yet each of us matters profoundly.

In this moment, in this country, in this world, what we do matters. Loneliness is real, but so is hope. And hope begins with connection.