Rutherford schools director provides update on son injured in Tennessee storms: 'We don't expect Asher to recover'

Tough conversations were continuing Friday between doctors and the family of 10-year-old Asher Sullivan, the boy critically injured May 8 after being sucked into a storm drain, according to a new social media post from the boy's father, James "Jimmy" Sullivan.

"Realistically, we don't expect Asher to recover, but we are checking and rechecking all the boxes to ensure we've done all we can before making that decision," Sullivan wrote Friday. He also offered additional details about the boy's injuries.

"Asher has an anoxic brain injury (ABI) due to lack of oxygen in his brain," he said. "This type of injury is different from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). If he had a TBI, we would have other options."

Sullivan, also the director of Rutherford County Schools, a district that served almost 52,000 children this year, has seen thousands of people respond to his requests for prayers on social media since sharing news of Asher's injury and prognosis.

"Asher needs a miracle," Sullivan wrote earlier this week.

'Damage is substantial': Rutherford Schools director shares new details about injured son, 10-year-old Asher

Other social media updates have stressed how dire the situation is for Asher. At one point, Sullivan said the doctors told his family they didn't expect Asher to survive his injuries. He also wrote about his son's MRI, saying it showed "severe damage to just about all areas of his brain," with "part of the brain herniating into his brain stem."

Sullivan's Friday update mentioned that hospital staff had started Asher on a very small amount of nutrition through a feeding tube because, "I know my buddy is hungry."

Asher's parents have also asked for another MRI and a detailed explanation of all parts of the brain that are injured, Sullivan said.

'Asher needs a miracle': Middle Tennessee prayer vigil sees 500+ after storm injures boy

More than 500 people attended a prayer vigil for Asher and his family, held the day after the storm in front of the Rutherford County Schools central office. Students, teachers, parents and young children gathered on sidewalks, the parking lot, on grassy landscaped areas and under shade trees.

Others showed support by wearing more than 6,000 sports helmet stickers with an "A" for Asher on a star-like logo for Vanderbilt, one of the boy's favorite baseball teams. The stickers were donated to area teams by Jessica Hood, owner of JM Embroidery & More in Rockvale.

Support for Asher: Helmet stickers for Tennessee storm-injured Asher Sullivan 'show love towards the family'

Before he was injured, Asher was playing with other kids in the water that had accumulated in the street while neighbors gathered to begin the cleanup process after severe storms moved through Middle Tennessee May 8. He somehow "got caught in the storm drain and was swept under the neighborhood streets," Sullivan wrote on social media.

Asher eventually came out in a drainage ditch, and CPR was administered for quite some time, Sullivan posted after the storm.

"His heartbeat was reestablished, but the damage is substantial," Sullivan said.

Asher and the Sullivans have been at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt since May 8. On Tuesday, another Rutherford County boy, 11-year-old Yousuf Ayesh, died on the same floor of the hospital. Yousuf had been living with incurable brain cancer for last six months and a brain scan earlier in the week showed no activity.

Sullivan posted on social media about grieving with Yousuf's father.

"Yousuf was down the hall from us this week at Vandy," Sullivan wrote in a Tuesday night post. "His dad and I shared a devastating hug (Tuesday morning) that only the two of us can understand. Please help his family if you can."

Grieving the loss of child: Dads of Asher Sullivan, Yousuf Ayesh shared 'devastating hug' in hospital, post reveals

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Asher Sullivan's family doesn't recovery after TN storm injuries