Survivor of crash that killed high school students wakes up from coma

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The father of a teenager who survived a crash that killed three of his friends told Channel 2 Action News his son is out of a coma.

Naseer Alwahkeel, 16, Nelson Umazor, 18, and Brandon Martinez, 18, died in a crash after Friday night’s football game at Meadowcreek High School.

Mesiah Allen, 17, survived the crash. He was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center in critical condition. He had a broken leg as well as large cuts and bruises.

"I didn't know if he was going to make it or not," Alexander Allen said.

Alexander Allen said Tuesday that his son was awake and talking four days after the crash.

"He's up. He's not breathing on the machine anymore. He's breathing on his own. He's talking on his own," he said. "He actually took his first steps today, in four days. It's been amazing."

The teen's father said the first thing he did when he woke up was ask about his friends who were in the car with him.

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"When my son came up out of the induced coma, he actually asked for the boy because that's the first boy he met from Meadowcreek and that's one of his good friends ... the driver. He kept asking, 'Did he make it?'" Alexander Allen said.

The father said his son remembers some of what happened.

"He remembers the impact. He remembers hitting everything. He remembers being down there. He remembers his leg was broken. He said he woke up and said, 'How did my leg get broken?'" Alexander Allen said. "He saw one of his friends laying there. He kept telling him to get up and he wouldn't move."

The teen's father said the loss has taken an emotional toll on his son, who he believes survived the crash because he was wearing a seat belt.

"I 100 percent believe that's the reason why he survived. He was still hanging in the seat belt when they cut him out," he said.

Alexander Allen said his son has a long road of recovery ahead.

"He'll get stronger with therapy, but I know his mental condition. It's going to take some time because he's not even the same kid when I talk to him," he said.

Cox Media Group