SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A 12-year-old boy critically injured in an e-bike collision in Carmel Valley is showing significant signs of progress nearly a month after the crash.
Mark Maldonado was struck by a Tesla while riding his e-bike on Del Mar Heights Road on a Saturday evening. Police say he attempted to make a left turn onto Old Carmel Valley Road when the Tesla, traveling in the same direction, hit him. The impact threw him from the bike and into the Tesla.
"The impact of that windshield essentially had caused his helmet to come off, which is when he had an impact with the ground without that protection," his uncle, Bijan Sabouri, said in a May 8 interview.
Mark was rushed to an emergency room with life-threatening injuries and underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. The Tesla driver remained at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
Sabouri says in the past week, Mark was moved from the ICU to acute care at Rady Children's Hospital. Just under a week ago, he was removed from the ventilator. Doctors have also removed him from his medically induced coma for cognitive checks.
"Opening his eyes, directing at family members, recognizing them in his facial affect," Sabouri said. "He does show movement, his toes, his hands, his feet. That's a good sign.”
Sabouri, who described the mood inside the hospital room as optimistic and joyful, says Mark's condition — once critical — is now stable.
"His doctors have now started to talk about his rehabilitation process," Sabouri said.
Mark could be removed from the coma as early as next week, though the long-term impact on his brain function remains unknown.
The community has rallied around the family since the story first aired. Donations poured into a GoFundMe campaign, and this past weekend, a fundraiser was held by members of the Ashley Falls Elementary community. 6th grader James Morgan and his mother Akiko held a lemonade stand and bake sale, with classmates helping run the stand.
"The kids were a major driver, as in, they baked the goods, made the lemonade," Sabouri said.
The students raised more than $1,800.
"It makes me feel loved. Myself, my family — thank you so much," Sabouri said. "It's a reminder there's still a lot of good in our world, and our kids are the biggest indicator of that.”
Sabouri says the family is now looking ahead.
"Everyone is starting to be optimistic Mark can rejoin our family and continue his bright life," Sabouri said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
