Megan King from Illinois survived a rare Atlanto-occipital dislocation after a sports injury at 16, undergoing spinal fusion to live again without fear of ‘losing her head’.
April 13, 2025: In a miraculous story of survival and resilience, Megan King, a woman from Illinois, has stunned the medical world by surviving a condition often considered fatal—internal decapitation, medically known as Atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD).
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The incident dates back to 2005, when 16-year-old Megan suffered a devastating fall while playing football, which caused her skull to internally detach from her spine. Despite the severity of the injury, King survived and underwent an intense medical journey spanning 37 surgeries to eventually reattach her skull to her spinal column.
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A Tragic Injury and a Mysterious Illness
Megan’s injuries triggered a prolonged period of physical decline. Over the years, she experienced debilitating pain as her joints weakened and muscles began to tear, leading to a loss of mobility. For more than a year, she relied on crutches to move.
It wasn’t until a decade later that she was diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a rare genetic disorder that impairs the production of collagen—crucial for connective tissue strength. The condition likely contributed to her susceptibility to joint dislocations, including the catastrophic internal separation of her skull and spine.
The Horror of “Internal Decapitation”
To stabilize her head, Megan was fitted with a halo brace—a metal structure bolted into the skull to keep the head upright. However, during its removal, doctors discovered her skull was dangerously close to detaching completely from her spine.
“I flew my chair back to keep gravity from decapitating me,” Megan told DailyMail. “My neurosurgeon had to hold my skull in place with his hands. I couldn’t stand. My right side was shaking uncontrollably.”
What followed was an emergency spinal fusion surgery, in which doctors surgically joined her skull and spine to prevent any fatal displacement. Megan described the ordeal as a “horror show,” waking up post-surgery with her head completely immobilized.
A Life Rebuilt, One Surgery at a Time
Megan King, now a motivational figure and advocate, often shares her recovery journey on social media under the handle @thetravelinghaloofhope. Her story serves as an extraordinary example of the human body’s ability to endure, and the remarkable achievements of modern medicine.
With 37 surgeries, and a spine literally fused to her skull, Megan now lives with a renewed sense of purpose—grateful for survival and determined to inspire others facing impossible odds.
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Megan King, internal decapitation, skull detachment, spinal fusion, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, rare diseases, sports injury, Atlanto-occipital dislocation, medical miracle, Illinois woman, DailyMail, hypermobility disorder, halo brace, football accident, survival story, medical news