Alijah Arenas, a Los Angeles high school basketball star who’s committed to playing for the University of Southern California (USC) next season, has made a recovery after being placed in a medically induced coma following a car accident Thursday morning.
The Los Angeles Police Department said officers responded shortly before 5 a.m. to a single-vehicle collision in the Reseda area of the San Fernando Valley on April 24.
According to the L.A. Fire Department, Arenas hit a fire hydrant before crashing his Tesla Cybertruck into a tree.
Arenas was hospitalized and placed into a medically induced coma, though authorities said he was in “stable” condition. Per ESPN, initial tests revealed no broken bones for the 18-year-old.
On Friday, the family issued a statement to media outlets saying that Arenas had woken up from his coma and was doing well.
“In a remarkable and hopeful development, Alijah Arenas has come out of his coma and has shown significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours,” the statement read. Though he regained consciousness, he remains intubated while recovering.
“In a powerful and emotional moment, Alijah opened his eyes and was able to write on a piece of paper that he remembered the smoke and asked ‘did anyone get hurt?’”
The family thanked the people who helped their son from the burning vehicle.
A video obtained by TMZ shows Arenas’ truck crashed head-on into a tree, flames coming out of the hood while water from the fire hydrant spews up from the back of the vehicle.
Two Good Samaritans approached the car, tapping on the window to get the driver out. The video then cuts to Arenas, lying on the ground in a pool of water face down, apparently barely conscious, not wearing a shirt or shoes, while one of his helpers tells him, “It’s ok, wake up, wake up quick,” as fire-fighters arrive.
The family statement also quoted one of the helpers as saying there was so much smoke inside the vehicle he couldn’t see whether anyone was inside, but then heard banging on the window.
“That’s when I realized someone was inside. I tried to break the window, but it just wouldn’t give.”
Fortunately, the window was cracked just enough to allow them to “bend it” and pull him out.
The family thanked the helpers and asked the public for their continued prayers and support, hoping for Arenas to make a full recovery.
Arenas is the son of former three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas.
The 6-foot-6 guard attends Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles, where he helped his team reach the finals in the Division II state championships this year. With that game, he became the first high school boys basketball player in the Los Angeles area to reach 3,000 career points.
He was also one of 48 players selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American Games in April, which showcases the best high school basketball players in the country.
As one of the top prospects of the Class of 2025 —he ranked No. 13 among this year’s recruits after reclassifying in December 2024—Arenas reportedly turned down offers from Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisville before committing to the USC Trojans in January.
Tesla Cybertrucks have received a 5-star NHTSA overall safety rating for all models since its launch in November 2023, indicating the lowest risk of occupant injury in crash tests based on performance in frontal, side, and rollover crash scenarios.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
