According to some sources, the practice of "wakes" originated because people of early centuries were never quite sure if the deceased had really died... thus the body would be displayed in the home and people would wait around for a few days in order to see if the person would "wake" up...
But this could never happen today right?... Well...
Last week in Egypt, mourners in Luxor were preparing the body of 28 year-old Hamid Hafex al-Nubdi for burial, when he woke up. According to reports, al-Nubdi's body had already been washed and prepared according to Islamic law when a doctor discovered a faint pulse and revived him... apparently the heart attack he suffered was not quite so fatal...
And last month in China, a 95 year old woman literally woke up during her wake, and climbed out of her casket... six days after she "died."