ORLANDO, Fla. – A six-year-old Lakeland boy may never walk again after sustaining severe spinal injuries when a vehicle driven by two teenagers collided with the sport utility vehicle he was riding in with his uncle, his father told News 6.
The boy, identified by his father as Nickai Mixon, remains hospitalized at Arnold Palmer Hospital after Saturday’s crash in Groveland. Florida Highway Patrol officials said a Toyota Scion with two teens inside attempted to pass in a no-passing zone, lost control and struck the SUV.
The two teenagers in the Scion were killed in the collision, authorities reported.
Nickai’s father, Michael Mixon, described his son as an active child who loves sports and monster trucks.
“He’s active. Real active. I mean, he loves sports. Football, basketball. He loves monster trucks. He’s just — he’s the best ever. So it would be hard if he could never walk again,” Mixon said.
Doctors have been updating the family on his condition. “He fractured his lumbar and his back and the doctor said it’s a 50/50 chance that he’s going to be able to walk,” Mixon said.
While other occupants of the SUV suffered minor injuries, Nickai’s condition is critical and the family faces mounting medical expenses. A GoFundMe page has been established to assist with the boy’s care; separate fundraising pages have also been created for the families of the teenagers who died.
Mixon urged the community for support and prayers for all families affected by the crash.
“Just keep the prayers coming, and we, you know, we appreciate all the prayers and all the concerns from above. And I mean, pray for everyone. Pray for the people that didn’t make it. Pray for the other families. All the families are hurt right now. So everybody needs prayer,” he said.
Doctors have not set a timeline for Nickai’s recovery or release from the hospital, and his family says they are trying to remain optimistic as they await further prognoses.