Dad says Asher Sullivan has passed away from injuries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Asher Sullivan, the 10-year-old who was swept into a storm drain during severe weather last week, has died, according to a Facebook post from his father on social media Saturday night.

Dr. Jimmy Sullivan, Asher’s dad and Director of Schools for Rutherford County, said his son passed away around 1:20 p.m. on Saturday.

Sullivan said the family asked for an additional MRI that was conducted late Thursday. The MRI showed further progression of brain damage from five days earlier.

While Sullivan and his wife, Kaycee, met with the neurologists around 11 a.m. Friday, he said Asher’s vitals crashed. Doctors said his pulse and blood pressure became erratic, he lost the ability to control temperature and his eye response stopped.

“Our sweet boy did what Asher has always done, he put others first. No longer did Kaycee and I have to make an impossible decision,” Sullivan wrote on social media. “Instead, he made it for us while we were out of the room.”

The doctors conducted two tests, 24 hours apart to determine that Asher had died.

“No parent should have to watch this, but we knew for our hearts, we had to. The results showed us what we already knew, that our sweet Asher was already gone,” Sullivan wrote. “We are broken-hearted, mad, and every other emotion at the same time.”

Sullivan said the family is still at Vanderbilt as they have decided Asher will be an organ donor. He remains on life support because of that decision.

“It’s 100% an Asher type thing to do in continuing to be selfless. He will have an honor walk at the hospital in the next few days and be celebrated as he is, a hero!” Sullivan wrote.

Sullivan said the family is asking for privacy as they mourn. He said there will not be a visitation, and there will be a private ceremony with immediate family and close friends only.

“Please keep our family in your prayers as we navigate a world without the purest one of us in it,” Sullivan wrote.

Sullivan said Asher lived more of a life in 10 years than most do during a full lifetime.

“He visited all 50 states (something he was so proud of), visited four countries, played every sport imaginable, was the kindest/gentlest soul I’ve ever met, loved EVERYONE, and lived his life on GO at all times,” Sullivan wrote of his son. “Our nicknames for each other were ‘squirrel’ and ‘papa squirrel’ because we always had to go, go, go and could not focus on one thing.

“He loved his brother and wanted to be just like him. He was obsessed with his mom and worshipped the ground she walks. His mom was his hero,” Sullivan said.

His brother, Declan, was recently the guest of the Vanderbilt baseball team at a game last Sunday. Head coach Tim Corbin drove his golf cart to the nearby hospital after batting practice to pick him up and bring him back to the game. Declan was seen sitting on the bench next to Corbin for some of the game.

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