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An Illinois woman who narrowly escaped internal decapitation has opened up about her incredible two-decade journey of endurance, strength, and adapting to a transformed life.
A Life-Altering Gym Accident at 16
In 2005, Megan King was just 16 years old when a routine gym class turned her world upside down. While attempting to catch a ball, she leaped into the air but landed awkwardly, twisting her ankle and severely injuring her upper body.
The fall caused tears in the muscles of both her shoulder blades and damage to her spine. What seemed like a sports injury turned into something much more serious.
As time passed, Megan’s condition worsened instead of improving. Her joints became unstable, muscles frequently tore, and chronic pain became her new normal. She underwent 22 surgeries on her shoulders and upper back, but doctors remained puzzled by her body’s failure to heal properly.
Diagnosis After a Decade of Decline
In 2015, ten years after her accident, Megan finally received a diagnosis—hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a rare genetic disorder that affects connective tissue and causes severe joint instability.
Just a year after the diagnosis, her neck dislocated, and she was fitted with a Halo brace, a metal apparatus screwed into her skull to stabilize her neck.
⚠️ WARNING: This post contains descriptions of severe medical trauma & procedures.
Illinois woman Megan King, 35, shared her harrowing 20-year medical ordeal after a gym class accident at 16 led to near “internal decapitation.”
A 2005 fall while catching a soccer ball caused… pic.twitter.com/7myQPj8r5S
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) April 13, 2025
A Brush with Death: Internal Decapitation
In 2016, during the removal of the Halo brace, Megan’s condition took a terrifying turn. She suffered atlanto-occipital dislocation, also known as internal decapitation, a condition where the skull becomes detached from the spine—an injury fatal in over 90% of cases. Her neurosurgeon had to physically hold her skull in place to prevent death.
“I couldn’t stand. My right side trembled uncontrollably. I had to tilt my chair to prevent gravity from ending my life,” she recalled.
Following the emergency, Megan underwent life-saving spinal fusion surgery, where her skull was permanently fused to her spine. Eventually, her entire spine was fused down to her pelvis. As a result, she can no longer bend, twist, or move her head.
“I’m literally a human statue,” Megan said. “But I’m still living—just differently now.”
Now 35, Megan has undergone a total of 37 surgeries. Despite being physically limited, she continues to discover what her new body is still capable of.
Recently, she joined her friends for a bowling night—not expecting to play. But something told her to try. She bowled a strike. Then two more. Her friends erupted in cheers—not just for her bowling, but for her unwavering courage.
“They were cheering for everything I’ve been through,” she said with pride. “I’m adapting,” Megan concluded. “And I’m constantly surprised by what I can still do.”
Her story serves as a powerful reminder that resilience, hope, and determination can overcome even the darkest moments.
