Middle Schooler Attacked by Student Over Joke, Has Parts of Skull Removed and 60 Staples Hold His Head Together By Samira Asma-Sadeque 116

A 14-year-old is “struggling,” his parents say, after he was viciously attacked by another student in his school cafeteria, leaving him with dozens of staples holding his head together and parts of his skull removed.

Lukas Hardeman was attacked after he cracked a joke on Aug. 21, at the middle school he attends in Kilgore, Texas, his parents said, according to KLTV and a GoFundMe set up to support his recovery.

The other student allegedly “picked him up and body slammed him,” his parents said in the GoFundMe. As a result, his head hit a stool, resulting in multiple brain bleeds and swelling.

Lukas’ father, Michael Hardeman, told KLTV that his brain injuries required parts of his skull to be removed and left him with more than 60 staples holding his head together.

“He’s embarrassed. He is hurt. He is struggling,” Michael told the outlet following a school board meeting organized after the incident. “But I hope when he sees things like this that he has a lot of family behind him. I hope that he can get to a point to where he is confident.”

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“Lukas is a creative, loving teenager who enjoys drawing, gaming, and spending time with his siblings and family,” his family said in the fundraiser that has since raised more than $35,000.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any actions have been taken to address the student accused in the incident.

In a statement posted on their Facebook on Aug. 26, Kilgore ISD reiterated their “commitment” to students’ safety and security.

“The event from last week has left us all shaken, it was both unexpected and deeply troubling, and our thoughts and prayers remain with our student who was injured,” read part of the statement.