A 14-year-old Texas student is facing a long and painful recovery after a violent incident inside his school cafeteria left him with life-threatening head injuries. The cafeteria attack happened on August 21 at Kilgore Middle School, where eighth grader Lukas Hardeman was allegedly body slammed by another student after making a joke.
According to his family, Lukas struck both a cafeteria stool and the floor during the fall, suffering multiple brain bleeds and dangerous swelling.
He was rushed to the Children’s Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery and removed two portions of his skull to relieve the pressure. His father, Michael Hardeman, said his son now has 60 staples in his head.
“He’s embarrassed. He is hurt. He is struggling,” Michael told local reporters. “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 where he is confident.”
Lukas’ grandmother, Tonya Hill, described seeing him crying from pain as a very “heart-wrenching” experience, highlighting how difficult recovery has been for the teenager. She confirmed that police have filed charges against the student accused of attacking her grandson, though officials have not released details on the case.
The Hardeman family says Lukas’ journey will be long, with both physical and speech therapy ahead, along with the emotional toll of the incident. A GoFundMe set up by his parents has been helping cover expenses while the family focuses on his healing.
The case has sparked frustration among parents, who raised concerns about safety during a special Kilgore Independent School District meeting on August 25. Some parents said they felt left in the dark about incidents on campus, with one pointing out that families weren’t receiving timely updates.
District Board President Jason Smith addressed the concerns at the meeting and later in a written statement, promising greater transparency while noting privacy laws restrict what details can be shared. “We will continue working to make Kilgore ISD a safe and thriving place for every student to learn and grow,” he wrote.
For now, Lukas remains focused on recovery, while his family and community rally around him, hoping for strength and healing in the weeks ahead.