TOLEDO, Ohio — On Tuesday, Tong Akol was on his way to class at Woodward High School.
When Tong was getting off the bus, he ran across the street and someone driving a truck hit him, according to a Toledo police report.
"I want him to be independent and catch the bus," Monet Obe, Tong's mother, said. "But this never crossed my mind that this would happen."
Monet Obe said her son has undergone surgery to have part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain and that he has been sedated. His hospitalization has been hard for all of them.
Donna Obe, Tong's grandmother, said she comes to the hospital every morning.
"Every time I go in, I talk to him, I touch his hand and tell him his grandmother is here for him," Donna Obe said. "I pray with him."
Tong's mother and grandmother described him as a good student, who plays the bass in orchestra at Woodward. Donna Obe said they play classical music for him when visiting him in the hospital room.
"It helps, because he moves a little bit when he hears that," Donna Obe said.
The movement they see from him when the classical music plays gives them hope.
"Make us feel like he's strong," Donna Obe said. "He's strong-willing and he's fighting for his life."
The family says they've gotten a lot of support during this time.
"Like he doesn't have anything but love," Donna Obe said. "Showing a lot of love and support from the community. People, friends and family have been very supportive."
Tong's planning on going to the University of Toledo to study music and his family would like to see him recover to continue that plan.
"I'm just praying for my son to get back to playing his bass," Monet Obe said.
The family set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses as Tong recovers.
Tong's 18th birthday is Sunday, and his mother and grandmother plan to bring him balloons and celebrate as much as possible in the hospital room.
MORE FROM WTOL 11 NEWS: