Teen fighting for his life after freak skateboard accident

ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) - A teenager from Ashland is fighting to recover from brain trauma after a freak skateboard accident last week.

Eli Harrison has been in serious condition for almost a week after he was life-flighted from his neighborhood to a Huntington hospital.

“Eli’s accident was very serious,” said family friend Gretchen Hill. “The days that followed Tuesday have been very serious. He has very life-threatening injuries.”

Family and friends of Eli’s have been flooding social media with tributes, and prayers for the recent Ashland Blazer grad. His dad Gary says it shows the caring personality his son has.

“His character is infectious,” said Gary. “I’ve never heard anybody describe him in any other way than everybody loves him.”

Gary has been posting updates on Eli’s condition on Facebook. The posts generate hundreds of shares and comments, even from total strangers who say they are praying for Eli’s recovery.

“It has grown across states, it has grown across friend groups, across every avenue of social media that there is,” Hill said of the outpouring of prayers.

Eli is starting to show signs of improvements, however there have been setbacks along the way. On Thursday he was taken in for emergency surgery on his brain.

“Every setback was hurtful,” Gary said. “It was a struggle. So we were asking, ‘How do we get through this?' and a nurse said, ‘You don’t count the setbacks, you count the wins. Because little by little, each win equals a victory.‘”

On Sunday, friends and family gathered outside the hospital to pray for Eli. It was the second prayer circle they have held this week.

“He’ll be thankful because he’ll know that this victory is going to come from the strength within himself, his strength with God, and the strength in the numbers of all these people who care about him,” Gary said.

“Everybody loves Eli,” Hill said. “Until I can hug him again, all I can do is pray.”

The latest update on Eli’s condition says doctors are lowering the settings on his ventilator and sedation. On Monday he was able to wake up for a few minutes, as well. Gary says it was another “win” for his son.

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