Nationwide — Lukas Hardeman, a 14-year-old boy from Dallas, Texas, had two sections of his skull removed after another student allegedly attacked him in a middle school cafeteria over a joke. The blow left him with critical injuries that required emergency surgery.
His father, Michael Hardeman, said the student slammed Lukas’ head against a metal pole attached to a cafeteria stool after becoming upset. Surgeons later removed parts of Lukas’ skull and used more than 60 staples to close the wounds.
“He’s embarrassed. He is hurt. He is struggling,” Michael told Local 12 News. “But I hope when he sees things like this that he has a lot of family behind him. I hope that he can get to a point to where he is confident.”
After spending three days in the hospital, Lukas returned home to Kilgore, where the community welcomed him with a parade. Neighbors, classmates, and friends gathered to show their support. A GoFundMe created to help with medical expenses and recovery has already raised more than $42,000.
The attack has also raised concerns among Kilgore ISD parents, many of whom are demanding stronger measures against bullying and violence. Some stressed that schools should address safety issues before serious incidents happen, not afterward.
Michael confirmed that Lukas will not be going back to Kilgore ISD. The family is still deciding whether he will continue in public school. He added that their faith has been central in getting through the ordeal, saying, “My son is only alive today because of Jesus, and he had his hands around his heart.”