'He Was Like, ‘Where’s My Dad?'': Alijah Arenas’ Thoughts After Waking Up From Coma Gets Gilbert Arenas Teared Up

“One thing that he did, wrote, that kind of like made me tear up was when he got conscious, and, you know, he wrote, ‘Does my dad know?’,” Gilbert said.

“Right? Like, damn, you know what I mean? So, you know, and then when they were like, ‘He’s up, he’s looking for you.’ Cuz I was at home, and then he was like, ‘Where’s my dad?’ And then when I came in and he gave me that ‘I’m sorry’ look, and I’m like, ‘Just chill, you’re good, don’t worry about it.’ You know, you’re a lucky one.”

Alijah Arenas, the 18-year-old son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, was involved in a terrifying Tesla Cybertruck crash on April 24, 2025, in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. While driving back from the gym, the steering wheel malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to swerve off the road and crash into a tree and fire hydrant. The impact ignited the front of the Cybertruck, trapping Alijah inside as smoke quickly filled the cabin.

Due to heavy smoke inhalation, Alijah was placed in a medically induced coma upon arrival at the hospital. His father, Gilbert, was unaware of the accident at first because the Tesla app malfunctioned, failing to update the car’s location.

When Gilbert finally learned what had happened, he rushed to the hospital, fearing the worst. Thankfully, Alijah did not suffer broken bones or severe external injuries, but doctors had to clear his lungs of smoke before waking him up.

Alijah Arenas “Walking, Talking” Following Cybertruck Crash

In the first episode of “Gil’s Arena” following the accident of Alijah, Josiah Johnson, the show’s co-host and executive producer, gave an update about the progress of Alijah’s recovery.

Gilbert was not present in the said episode.

“Happy to announce that Alijah’s doing much better,” Johnson said. “Walking, talking, progressing very well, should be released from the hospital very soon. No major injuries as a result of the car accident.”

With how his recovery is going, Alijah Arenas is expected to be ready for his freshman basketball season at USC this fall. His family, while relieved, has raised concerns about the Cybertruck’s safety, particularly its electronic door system, which made escaping nearly impossible.