Nationwide — A 7-year-old African American boy, Aiden, remains in a medically induced coma after he was struck by a truck Friday morning while he was crossing a highway to reach his school bus in Rome, Georgia. The crash left him with a severe brain injury and several other serious injuries. He was crossing the roadway near 50 Chateau Drive at about 7:09 a.m. when a white Ford F-150 hit him, according to Fox 5 News. A police officer happened to be nearby and responded almost immediately.
Others who witnessed the collision also rushed to help. Two nurses at the scene worked to stabilize Aiden’s neck and performed CPR as they waited for emergency crews. He was airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta within an hour and later placed in a medically induced coma. Doctors also put him on a breathing machine to help him survive his injuries.
Doctors diagnosed Aiden with a diffuse axonal injury, a severe form of traumatic brain injury that can occur when the brain moves forcefully inside the skull. He also suffered a serious ligament tear connecting his skull and neck. His other injuries include a broken pelvis, broken ribs, a fractured clavicle, and a fractured wrist.
The truck driver remained at the scene and has been cooperating with police, authorities said. Investigators determined that the driver was not impaired and found no indication that the truck was speeding. The roadway was also wet after storms moved through the area that morning. The Rome Police Department’s Accident Investigation Team is still working to determine exactly what caused the crash.
Aiden’s family continues to stay with him as he receives treatment. A GoFundMe fundraiser is also set up to help his parents, Jodi and Tray, cover medical and recovery expenses while caring for their son and their other two children, ages 13 and 7 months. The fundraiser has raised nearly $4,000 so far. Police have not said whether the driver will face criminal charges and have not released information about the school bus route involved in the crash.