USC basketball commit Alijah Arenas is showing promising signs of recovery after being placed in an induced coma following a serious car crash in Los Angeles early Thursday morning.
According to a statement shared with ESPN by his family, the 18-year-old is now out of the coma and has made “significant progress” within the last 24 hours.
While still intubated, Arenas has regained some memory of the accident and was able to communicate with those around him. His family shared that one of his first written messages after regaining awareness was, “Did anyone get hurt?”
“This act of courage, along with Alijah’s incredible will to survive, has been nothing short of miraculous,” the family said in a statement. “The family continues to ask for the public’s prayers and support as their miracle baby fights his way back to a full recovery.”
The crash took place shortly before 5 a.m. in the Reseda neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. Authorities reported that Arenas was driving a Tesla Cybertruck when the vehicle collided with a tree and a fire hydrant, sparking a fire.
First responders arrived quickly and transported Arenas to a nearby hospital in serious condition. He was the only occupant in the vehicle.
Footage obtained by TMZ shows the front of the Tesla engulfed in flames, with water gushing from the damaged hydrant as two individuals worked to pull Arenas from the burning car.
One bystander involved in the rescue described the intense moment. “I remember hearing banging on the car window, but I couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick,” the person said. “That’s when I realized someone was inside,” the person said. “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 and pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out.”
Arenas is considered one of the nation’s top high school basketball prospects. He reclassified to the class of 2025 in December and committed to the University of Southern California in January.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Arenas’ family said they will continue to provide updates as he continues on his path to recovery.
