Dalene Steyn, wife of former Blue Bulls fullback and Pumas captain Casper Steyn, says her husband has regained consciousness.

“Casper has woken up… it’s a miracle. It’s all thanks to everyone praying for him.”

Steyn’s wife says her husband started moving his head to the side of the bed where she was standing or sitting last week.

“We can’t say with certainty when he woke up completely and opened his eyes for the first time.”

“He is now awake for longer periods every day and he shakes his head to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when I talk to him,” she said.

Steyn underwent his first operation to his face on Tuesday.

“The doctors put five plates in his face to repair the fractures. His face is still very swollen from the operation, but he is doing well.”

“His second operation is next week, when doctors will operate on his skull fracture.”

She says her husband is off the ventilator but can’t talk yet because there’s a tube in his throat. He is also still receiving oxygen.

“The doctor said if everything goes well, there is a chance that he may be home by Christmas.”

Steyn has been in the Unitas hospital in Pretoria for the past 19 days after sustaining serious face and head injuries when he was thrown out of his bakkie in Centurion on October 18.

He was on his way home after going out with friends.

A week after the accident, his condition deteriorated to such an extent that he fell into a coma.

A family member then told reporters that doctors had said his chance of waking up again was less than 10%.

His doctor stopped sedating him in the hope that he would wake up.

“The new change in his condition is all thanks to Jesus. Thanks to all the people who have prayed for him and are still praying,” said his wife.

The couple have a 4-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter.