THE first thing 39-year-old Terry Wallis said on waking up in a US hospital after 19 years in a coma was "mom".

The world has changed out of all recognition while he was unconscious. There were no mobile phones in 1984, no Internet and precious few home computers.

One thing hasn't changed, though: our instinctive need for those closest to us at times of crisis.

Updated: 10:22 Wednesday, July 09, 2003