OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: An eight-year-old boy was left paralyzed after being caught in the midst of a rolling gun battle in Oakland. On July 14, little Asa Luo was traveling in his family's car on the I-580 near the Harrison Street exit when gunmen in two other vehicles engaged in gunfire. Tragically, Luo was struck by a stray bullet, causing serious injuries to a spinal column in his neck. His parents were initially uncertain about his survival as he was rushed to Oakland Children's Hospital in critical condition.
“Bullet and bone fragments pierced and some lodged in the spinal column of his neck. Initially, we had no idea if our sweet boy would live,” his parents wrote on a GoFundMe page, adding, “Two weeks later, Asa is not only alive, but he’s making us laugh, reading his favorite books and requesting songs by Imagine Dragons. His intellect, his spirit, and his love of life are very much intact."
'His body is forever changed'
Despite his injuries, Luo's resilience and fighting spirit have been evident during his recovery. His parents described him as an intelligent, spirited, and loving child with a passion for soccer and a talent for mathematics. However, the incident has left the family grappling with a range of emotions, including anger, gratitude and grief.
Luo was left completely paralyzed below the neck after the condition, necessitating constant medical support. "His body is forever changed. At this point, he is experiencing complete paralysis below the neck. We are profoundly relieved that our boy is alive and very much himself, and we are also starting to understand the vast implications of his new reality. Moving forward, Asa will require a mechanical respirator to live, tube feeds for nutrition, and 24-hour, around-the-clock nursing care," the fundraiser read.
Asa Luo's family needs more than $250K
To facilitate Luo's transition back home from the hospital, the family will have to pay more than $250,000. "Since we have met the original goal of $250,000 and the family is likely to incur expenses exceeding $1,000,000 in the coming year, we are raising the goal to $500,000 with deep bows and gratitude this growing community," wrote Luo's family in an update. In a heartwarming development, the fundraiser had garnered $769,781 in donations at the time of writing.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is actively investigating the incident, but no arrests have been made yet. The CHP is seeking information from the public that may help identify the suspects involved in the July 14 shooting.
“We’re fiercely committed to doing everything we can to help (him) thrive which includes supporting his return to home life, school, and being the energetic, creative, and high-spirited 8-year-old he is,” Luo's parents wrote.
