The world witnessed one of the most astonishing medical survival cases after two-year-old German child Oliver Stubb survived a horrific car accident in Mexico that led to his head being internally separated from his spine — an injury described as "incompatible with life".

The accident occurred on April 17, 2025, when Oliver's family — his father Stefan and mother Laura Stubb-Garcia along with their five-year-old twins — were visiting relatives in Mexico, and their minivan collided with an armored truck. The parents sustained serious injuries, while Oliver stopped breathing and was thought to be dead until his aunt intervened to resuscitate him until he reached the hospital.

At that time, doctors in Mexico City confirmed that the child would not survive, and his parents were asked to consider organ donation. However, days later, what the doctors described as a "miracle" occurred as Oliver began to improve gradually despite expectations of complete paralysis for the rest of his life.

Later, the family contacted the renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Mohammed Baydoun (of Lebanese descent), head of the neurosurgery department at the University of Chicago Hospital, who agreed to study his rare case. Thanks to support from the German star Tony Kroos Foundation, the family was able to cover the travel and treatment costs that exceeded one million dollars.

In July, Dr. Baydoun and his team performed two intricate surgeries to reconnect Oliver's skull to his spine and stabilize them. Days later, the child showed remarkable improvement; he began moving his right hand, then his fingers and feet, and gradually regained the ability to breathe without a ventilator.

Oliver currently lives with his family in the Mexican state of Michoacán and continues to improve day by day. His mother Laura says: "They told us he would not speak or move, but today he sings, laughs, and moves his hands. Every day with us is a new miracle".

Dr. Baydoun confirms that Oliver's case represents a rare medical precedent, adding: "At every stage, this child surprised us with his ability to survive and recover. He has proven that the impossible can happen".

Oliver is expected to return to Chicago in the spring of 2026 to participate in a stem cell treatment trial that may give him a new chance to regain more mobility.