I have a friend who had a severe brain injury from an accident and was in a coma for almost a year. It was very tragic since she just received her master's degree and a new career was just beginning. I went to see her in rehab about 8 months after the accident and it was very sad.
I would have never believed it if someone would have told me in 2 years she would have the ability to drive, get married, hold down a full time job, and have children.
This is not to say her life is a bowl of cherries. She is in a wheelchair and has paralysis on one side. She can talk, think, and do fun things (until one of the kids turns off the wheelchair

). It does take her significant time to do everything, but she can do most things.
Hopefully John will recover enough to have a meaningful life. It probably wouldn't be the one of his choice, but if he could get around, laugh, and be out of a hospital setting it would be great!
I did see HH on LKL and I thought they he was a poor excuse for a parent. I did wonder exactly where he was coming from when LKL played the recorded phone calls to his son and the parents were acting like the son was such a poor kid and it was such a shame that he was in jail. There was nothing adult about the conversation - like look what you did to your best friend you idiot, take responsibility for your action and behave until you get out. I was shocked that they only worried about their son and not about John.
I just consider the source.