B.C. woman returns home after 2 months in induced coma in China

VANCOUVER — The daughter of a British Columbia woman who slipped into a coma in China while visiting her family says her mom has returned home following a marathon journey.

Elena Lanteigne says her mother, 78-year-old Lilia Avoutova, had an eight-hour train ride, followed by a 12-hour flight after emerging from two-month coma in hospital in Kunming in southwest China.

Avoutova arrived in Kunming on March 4, but days later suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and stroke.

While the woman was in a coma, her daughter flew there to find a solution to bring her home, but discovered an air ambulance would cost tens of thousands of dollars.

She said she and her husband drained their savings, while nearly $22,000 was raised through GoFundMe to help ease the financial burden.

Lanteigne says the last leg of the journey from China to Vancouver was on an air ambulance and her mom is now in the stroke unit at a hospital in Burnaby, B.C.

Avoutova faces a long recovery and may require permanent care, Lanteigne says.

“It was quite the long journey,” said Lanteigne. “The most important thing is that at least my mom is home, and she’s with us, and we can be here for her as she’s recovering.

“The way I see it is she raised me, she was there for me when I was a baby, and it’s my turn to give back.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2026.

The Canadian Press