An aspiring medical student left brain dead after he was pushed into a lake by his friends who knew he could not swim.
An aspiring medical student was tragically left brain-dead last month after being pushed into a Louisiana lake by friends who knew he couldn’t swim.
Shocking video footage captured the disturbing incident at Lake D’Arbonne in Farmerville on April 14, showing the group casually standing by as their friend, Christopher Gilbert struggled in the water.
DON'T MISS OUT: Stay Updated with Schools' Latest Updates on WhatsApp. Click Here and Follow our WhatsApp Channel now!
Despite the desperate situation, the friends made no attempt to rescue Gilbert, with one person briefly entering the water before giving up.
It wasn’t until a patron from a nearby restaurant intervened after 10 minutes that Gilbert was pulled to safety.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the 26-year-old was declared brain dead, with his organs beginning to fail.
His mother, Yolanda George, recounted the devastating ordeal, describing her son’s aspirations to become a medical doctor and his recent academic achievements.
Despite spending 72 hours on life support, Gilbert’s condition remains critical, with his lungs functioning at only 20% capacity.
The family, represented by attorney Claudia Payne, is demanding justice, alleging criminal intent on the part of Gilbert’s friends.
“I was devastated. I felt like my life had ended at that moment. My son is aspiring to be a medical doctor, my son is going to be a medical doctor. He got his masters last year in biological science. He’s preparing for medical school so for this to have happened to him … I was just devastated,” George said.
According to police, his so-called friends initially tried to pass off the near-death as “horse-play.”
They even told the lie to his mother in the moments after he was rescued.
“A friend of his called and she was hysterical crying. She told me that Chris has fell into the lake and he had been underwater for 10 minutes or so,” the mother said.
Eventually, a white female around the same age as Gilbert admitted to pushing him into the lake.
None of the friends, however, admitted to knowing he couldn’t swim – a claim Gilbert’s family finds hard to believe.
“To add insult to injury, after pushing him, no one from the ‘friend group’ attempted to go in after him. Instead, two brave bystanders, who have no relationship to Chris, heard commotion and retrieved his body from the lake,” personal injury attorney Claudia Payne, representing George, wrote in a report obtained by the Lincoln Parish Journal.
Fortunately, Gilbert has made strides since the ruthless attack. He is responding cognitively, but cannot speak, according to George.
Aspiring doctor left brain dead after friends pushed him into lake knowing he can
He still relies on life support and his lungs are said to be at 20% capacity.
The family is also demanding that an arrest be made in the tragic incident, with Payne saying the friends displayed criminal intent by pushing him into the lake.
“Why would you push my son in the lake knowing he couldn’t swim?” asked George.
READ ALSO: WASSCE registration: Police hunt for fleeing principal after aggrieved students vandalize Edo school
Thank you so much for reading. We will appreciate it if you share this with your loved ones.
Stories You Shouldn't Have Missed:
- 2023 WAEC Best Student, Shalom Receives N1 Million Cash Award
- Grateful Graduate Wears Her NYSC Khaki on Her Parent, Lovely Video Goes Viral
- Rivers State University student official gives her boyfriend an award for his “love, support, and care”
- Excited Mother Wears Daughter’s Graduation Cap and Dances Happily With it, Viral Video Melt Hearts
- SS3 Students Stranded As School Owner Collects WAEC Fees, Disappears And Put School For Sale
- Lady Who Emerged Best in Nigerian Varsity, Repeats Same Abroad, Graduates With Amazing Grade
- Women Can Do Better Than Men When Given The Opportunity — Winner, 2021 Ibadan Schools’ Debate Competition
Join Our 500,000+ Community: