Hit-and-run victim an ‘anomaly,’ family says. Basketball games will benefit his recovery

All profits from Wednesday’s high school all-star basketball games at Lakewood Ranch High School will go toward the medical expenses for Jack Kelley, a former Mustangs player who is on the mend after a recent a hit-and-run collision.

Kelley’s team immediately supported him by donning warmup shirts that read “#JackStrong” during the state semifinals in early March. Kelley reached a milestone later that month when he was released from an intensive care unit, nearly three weeks after a rollover crash that left him with traumatic brain injuries. He traveled to Atlanta for rehabilitation this week.

“According to the neurosurgeon, he is an anomaly,” said Mike Kelley, his father. “For the severity of his brain injury, for him to have his memory back, you wouldn’t even know by talking to him that he was in an accident.”

“He definitely has his personality, his sense of humor, all those things,” he continued.

The girls teams play at 6 p.m., followed by the boys at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and all proceeds will benefit Kelley’s recovery, said Jeremy Schiller, head coach for the Lakewood Ranch High boys team.

The Sarasota vs. Manatee Domino’s Pizza All-Star games will take place in the gym at Lakewood Ranch High.

“I think when so many people love you, care about you and are thinking about you, that stuff really helps,” the coach said. “He’s making insane progress in a very short period of time.”

A surveillance camera outside the Lantern Inn and Suites captured the moment a tan Kia Sedona turned in front of Kelley’s Audi A3, sending his car flying through part of wall and into a parked car. The crash unfolded in the early hours of Feb. 28, and two days passed before state troopers arrested Zachari Brock, now 25, on charges of leaving the scene and driving without a valid license.

The story made national headlines, and people from around the country unified to support Kelley’s family. A constant stream of donors raised more than $37,000 on GoFundMe, a crowdfunding website, over the last month.

“Sending love from Texas,” one donor wrote. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. I cannot imagine this happening to one of my kiddos and I just wanted to help in some way.”

This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 5:32 PM.