It's just the opposite actually, and worse. If he's aware of his surroundings, he's been trapped for 6 years without any output instead. Able to observe and think, but unable to move, unable to speak, unable to interact with or affect his environment except as a comatose patient.
Being Locked-in is one of the worst things I can imagine and yet is very real.
Yes, you are absolutely correct. I was kind of thinking in terms of interaction but got it backward.
What I was trying to convey was that no matter how dedicated your loved ones are they're not going to be with you every minute of every day if you're apparently comatose. That means this poor guy has probably spent most of the last six years lying in a bed by himself with nothing going on around him...
Being Locked-in is one of the worst things I can imagine and yet is very real.