Tree crushes 13-year-old at party, but he’s ‘handled it like a rockstar,’ mom says

A 13-year-old Ohio boy is recovering in the hospital after a tree fell on top of him during a friend’s birthday party.

Lucas Cirivello suffered a a brain bleed, fractured vertebrae and fractures in his face after the incident, which occurred as he was playing on a makeshift obstacle course attached to two trees, according to a Facebook page.

His mom, Jenn Phillips, said Lucas fell backward and one of the trees came crashing down on him, WLWT reported. Friends pulled the tree of Lucas, but the impact left him unconscious.

The teen was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where he remains as of Wednesday, Aug. 10, Facebook posts show.

“He’s hanging in there. He’s been a real trooper,” Phillips told WLWT. “I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s doing really well.”

Lucas first went into surgery on Wednesday, Aug. 7, and was moved out of the pediatric ICU a day later and into a regular room.

Through the pain, Lucas has “handled it like a rockstar,” his mom said in a Facebook post.

Lucas has played football since he was 6 years old, but his family said he will have to forgo playing in the upcoming season, WKRC reported.

“Hopefully it’s just a small speed bump, but it’s a rough speed bump,” Mike Cirivello, Lucas’ dad, told WKRC.

If his recovery goes as planned, he is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Friday, Aug. 12, according to his mom.

This story was originally published August 10, 2022 at 8:02 AM with the headline "Tree crushes 13-year-old at party, but he’s ‘handled it like a rockstar,’ mom says."