FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. – A 14-year-old Fleming Island High student, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a crash while walking with his bicycle in August, continues to fight for his life in the hospital, his family told News4JAX.
Ashwanth Kalidas was hit by a truck on Aug. 31, 2025, off U.S. 17 in Clay County. His family said he was walking in the bike lane when he was struck.
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“Honestly, we still don’t know how it happened,” said Ashwanth’s mother, Devi, adding that they found out her son had been hurt when one of his friends came banging on their door, crying.
Ashwanth has endured multiple brain surgeries and countless tests since, and ongoing complications with fluid in his brain mean he’s still fighting to survive.
Because of that, since August, he has been transferred back and forth from Wolfson Children’s Hospital to Brooks Rehab about five times.
“We still haven’t able to take him home yet,” Devi said. “There is a tube that is connected to his brain directly into the ventricles. ... Now, the therapists are trying to make him walk.”
Right now, he is speaking very slowly, and the left side of his face and body are quite weak, making things harder for him.
Ashwanth’s father has returned to work after using all of his available time off. His mother continues to support her son’s recovery at both Brooks and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
They tell News4Jax that since the accident, one of them has been with their son every second.
His family started a GoFundMe to help cover some of the extensive physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation therapies that aren’t covered by insurance.
It has raised over $44,000 so far, and Devi says the family is incredibly grateful for the support of their community.
“The support, messages, sharing, prayers have meant everything to us. I’m thanking everyone,” Devi said. “I’m not going to give up. Also, I raised a boy who doesn’t give up.”
For more information on Brooks Rehabilitation, click here.