Alijah Arenas, a top USC recruit and Chatsworth High basketball star, awoke from his coma after a serious Cybertruck crash early Thursday morning and has “shown significant signs of progress,” according to a statement from his family shared with The Times.
Arenas remains intubated, but the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas opened his eyes and was able to communicate by writing on a piece of paper.
“He remembered the smoke,” the statement read, and asked, “Did anyone get hurt?”
Alijah Arenas lost control of his Tesla Cybertruck shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday morning, striking a fire hydrant and tree. The mangled car caught fire while Arenas was still inside. Arenas was the only person injured during the crash.
The family said Friday that “brave individuals” helped rescue Arenas from the burning vehicle. A person who assisted Arenas recalled hearing “banging on the car window, but I couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick,” the family statement read. “That’s when I realized someone was inside. I tried to break the window, but it wouldn’t give. Then I saw one of the windows was cracked just enough and we used everything we had to bend it to pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out.”
The family commended “this act of courage, along with Alijah’s incredible will to survive,” calling it “nothing short of miraculous.”
A video of the early-morning, post-crash scene, obtained by TMZ, showed Arenas lying face down in the street in a few inches of water while the broken hydrant sprayed water into the air. In the background, a person shouts at Arenas repeatedly to “wake up.”
Arenas was “stable” upon being taken to the hospital, according to LAPD Officer Rosario Cervantes. He was intubated and placed in a medically induced coma, which is a common step in treating severe smoke inhalation.
Drugs and alcohol were not suspected to be a factor in the crash, a source with knowledge of the crash investigation told The Times.
Hours after the collision, the Cybertruck burst into flames again at a nearby tow yard, a person with knowledge of the incident not authorized to discuss it publicly told The Times.
Arenas was joined at the hospital by his mother, Laura Govan; father, Gilbert Arenas; siblings; and extended family.
“The family continues to ask for the public’s prayers and support as their miracle baby fights his way back to full recovery,” the statement read, going on to thank Alijah Arenas’ medical team for “exceptional care.”
Arenas is expected to play a major role next season at USC as a freshman.
Trojans coach Eric Musselman said in a statement posted on social media Thursday that “our thoughts and prayers are with Alijah and his family following this morning’s accident. Please keep him, his teammates and friends, and the entire Arenas family in your prayers.”
Chatsworth students had the day off from school Thursday in observance of Armenian Genocide Memorial Day.
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