Deftones’ Chi Cheng has shown the first signs that he could be coming out of his three-year coma.

The bassist, 41, was severely injured in a car accident in November 2008, and he’s been in a coma ever since.

Doctors had to remove parts of his brain to keep him alive. After seven months he was taken off life support. In 2011 he was moved to an experimental research facility in New Jersey, where he’s been receiving specialist care and daily treatment which have cost over $500,000 so far – and isn’t covered by health insurance.

But earlier this week Cheng’s family released a video clip proving the attention was worthwhile. Previously he’d only been able to make sounds from his throat as if he was talking. Now he can raise his legs from his bed when asked – a sign he’s able to process the request and respond.