Dad of Boy, 10, Who Was Swept into Storm Drain in Tennessee Says He Has Died: 'We Are Broken-Hearted'
Asher Sullivan, 10, was sent to the Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville after falling into the storm drain on May 8
Rutherford County Schools
Asher Sullivan.The 10-year-old boy who was swept away in a storm drain in Tennessee on May 8 has died, according to his father.
Jimmy Sullivan confirmed the death of his son Asher in an emotional post on Facebook on Saturday, May 18.
He said his son had suffered an anoxic brain injury (ABI) “due to lack of oxygen to his brain” following the incident, which he said also caused severe brain damage that progressively worsened over the last 36 hours.
“Asher officially passed away this afternoon around 1:20 pm,” Sullivan, the Director of Schools at Rutherford County, wrote.
Then detailing the events of the last 36 hours, Sullivan said, "Asher had one brain stem reflex remaining the last few days that kept him from officially being declared brain dead/deceased.”
“The doctors had told us that they didn’t expect that reflex to go away, but that further improvement beyond maybe a finger moving was not possible. That left [my wife] Kaycee and I with an impossible decision that deep down we knew we wouldn’t make," he continued.
Related: Dad of 10-Year-Old Boy Who Was Swept Into Storm Drain Says to ‘Keep the Prayers Coming’
Sullivan further explained that he and his wife had requested “an additional MRI” on May 16 and “met with the neurologists” the next day, as they were told the MRI results “showed further progression of brain damage from five days earlier.”
“While we were away, Asher’s vitals crashed. His pulse and blood pressure became erratic, he lost the ability to control temperature, and the eye response ceased,” the father of two next explained.
“Our sweet boy did what Asher has always done, he put others first. No longer did Kaycee and I have to make an impossible decision. Instead, he made it for us while we were out of the room," he added.
Sullivan also said that the doctors “performed two extremely in-depth tests" that he and his wife "watched separated by 24 hours.”
“No parent should have to watch this, but we knew for our hearts, we had to. The results showed us what we already knew, that our sweet Asher was already gone,” he said. “We are broken-hearted, mad, and every other emotion at the same time.”
According to Sullivan, Asher “remains on life support” at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, as doctors prepare him for the organ donation process.
“It’s 100% an 'Asher' type thing to do in continuing to be selfless. He will have an honor walk at the hospital in the next few days and be celebrated as he is, a hero!” Sullivan said.
Earlier this month, Sullivan shared a post on Facebook that said Asher "got caught" in a storm drain and "was swept under the neighborhood streets." After being rescued from the ditch, he received CPR and was taken to the hospital, where he initially was in stable but critical condition, per WGNS.
A neighbor told WSMV that Asher had grabbed his shoe when he got swept into the drain.
In the days that followed, Sullivan shared daily updates on his son’s condition.
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On Thursday, May 16, a vigil was held by the local community at the RCS District Office in honor of Asher. The students and faculty wore Asher’s favorite colors, blue and green, as they attended.
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