A Texas teenager had to have parts of his skull removed and 60 staples placed in his head after a vicious attack by another student, according to his horrified parents.
14-year-old Lukas Hardeman was at school in Kilgore, Texas on August 21 when he cracked “a joke” in the cafeteria and subsequently became the victim of a violent assault.
Speaking to KLTV, Lukas’ father, Michael, claimed that another student smashed his son’s head against a metal pole attached to a stool. Lukas was rushed to Dallas’ Children’s Hospital, where he underwent surgery to remove two parts of his skull to “relieve the pressure and bleeding”. Surgeons also inserted 60 staples to hold his head together.
“He’s embarrassed. He is hurt. He is struggling,” Michael Hardeman said, as per KLTV.
“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.”
The heartbroken father added credited Jesus for saving his son’s life, adding: “My son is only alive today because of Jesus, and he had his hands around his heart.”
A GoFundMe established to help with Lukas’ recovery has so far raised $39,000 of its original $40,000 goal. Lukas’ mom, Catom Morris-Hardeman explained on the fundraising page that her son “is now in the ICU as we wait for more updates on his condition.”
“This sudden trauma has turned our lives upside down,” the page reads.
“We’ve had to travel hours from home to be with Lukas, missing work and staying in hotels to support him during this critical time. The medical bills, travel costs, and future doctor visits are overwhelming, and we’re facing many unexpected expenses as Lukas begins his long road to recovery.”
According to KLTV, ambulances have twice been phoned to Lukas’ middle school since August 20, as well as having responded to one incident at Kilgore High School.
In the lead up to a meeting held to address safety concerns for worried parents in the community, Kilgore ISD School Board President Jason Smith posted the following announcement on Facebook:
“I know that when an incident happens in our schools, families want timely and clear information. At the same time, there are limits to what the District can share.”
Citing federal privacy laws requiring the District to protect the information of students and staff, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the post continued:
“This means that while the District cannot release certain details, it can — and will — communicate openly about what steps are being taken to keep our campuses supportive and safe to the extent that can be done without compromising campus security.”
Do you think more needs to be done to protect students in schools across the US? Let us know in the comments.
In the meantime, join us in sending prayers for Lukas Hardeman. You can find his GoFundMe page here.
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