The father of a 10-year-old boy, who was swept into a storm drain last week, has shared a heartbreaking update on his son’s condition.
Asher Sullivan, a resident of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was enjoying a playful time with his friends when a powerful storm suddenly descended upon the state, unleashing large hailstones comparable in size to golf balls.
After pulling himself out of the ditch, he received CPR and was quickly transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville for immediate medical attention.
Mr. Sullivan said that his brain suffered a herniation, resulting in damage to almost every area of the organ.
The incident last Thursday has prompted regular updates from his father, who serves as the director of schools at Rutherford County. He has been sharing updates on his son’s condition through Facebook.
During his latest address on Tuesday evening, Mr. Sullivan painted a grim picture of the situation.
According to the author, Asher’s brain has suffered severe damage. The author emphasizes that if Asher were to recover, he would not be able to perform the tasks he could do before, unless there is some unexplainable healing.
“We will wholeheartedly love and treasure any iteration of Asher that we are fortunate enough to have, if that is what is most beneficial for Asher,” he expressed.
He mentioned a number of prayer requests, including the resolution of his son’s brain swelling and herniation, the restoration of his son’s ability to breathe independently, no further negative changes, and improved responsiveness of his son’s pupils.
In the early hours of the morning, Asher’s parents, John and Kaycee, received devastating news. They were awakened at 2:00 am to be told that Asher had stopped breathing on his own and his eyes were no longer responsive.
“We were actually looking forward to having some difficult conversations this afternoon,” he enthusiastically mentioned.
By Monday at 12 noon, Mr. Sullivan mentioned that doctors observed a slight movement in one of his son’s pupils. However, he expressed concern about his son’s blood pressure, stating that it had been problematic and seemed to worsen at night. He humbly requested everyone to continue praying for his son’s recovery.
On Tuesday morning, 11-year-old Yousuf Ayesh, who was on the same floor at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center as Sullivan, tragically passed away.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by Murfreesboro Muslim Youth, the fifth grader had been diagnosed with incurable brain cancer a few months earlier. This diagnosis had led to the swelling of brain tissue and the shutting down of his body.
A candlelit vigil to honor the young boy has been planned for Friday evening at his school, Black Fox Elementary.
