It all happened so fast, but the shock hasn’t worn off yet. Alijah Arenas, one of the most talked-about names in high school basketball and the son of former Warriors star Gilbert Arenas, found himself in a life-threatening situation after a horrifying early-morning crash in Los Angeles. According to his family, the 18-year-old was inside a Tesla Cybertruck when it veered off-road, slammed into a fire hydrant, and crashed into a tree. The scene was chaotic, and Alijah was admitted to a nearby hospital and placed into an induced coma.

Now, thankfully, there’s a glimmer of hope. Alijah has come out of the coma, though he remains intubated. His family shared that he’s made “significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours.” However, soon after regaining consciousness, Alijah reportedly asked if anyone else got hurt in the crash. That video of the Cybertruck engulfed in flames? TMZ dropped it, and it’s just as terrifying as it sounds.

What really hits hard is the chilling rescue story. A bystander who helped save Alijah Arenas recounted, “I remember hearing banging on the car window, but I couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick… The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out.” They bent a cracked window just enough to pull him out, seconds before things got worse.

Following that, the Arenas family didn’t hold back their gratitude. “This act of courage, along with Alijah’s incredible will to survive, has been nothing short of miraculous,” they said. They’ve continued to thank the medical team and the community, asking for “prayers and support as their miracle baby fights his way back.”

Still, while Alijah’s fighting spirit shines through, there’s a growing concern among fans. The 6’6” guard, who committed to USC and lit it up at the McDonald’s All-American Game, has everyone questioning the safety of Tesla’s Cybertruck. As one of the class of 2025’s brightest stars recovers, the questions around Elon Musk’s latest vehicle aren’t going away.

Is Tesla to blame, or did it save Alijah Arenas’ life? Fans can’t decide

Right after the news broke and the crash footage made rounds online, fans had a lot to say—and they weren’t holding back. Some immediately pointed fingers at Elon Musk’s Cybertruck design, questioning if those famously “unbreakable” windows nearly cost Alijah Arenas his life. “He was trapped in the truck because of Elon’s ‘unbreakable’ windows. Had one of them not failed, he might not have made it out,” one fan wrote. Another chimed in, “Wow, people believe that Tesla cars are safe, but they actually have significant safety concerns.” The mood was anything but chill.

Meanwhile, others brought up concerns over the tech itself. “I think @elonmusk needs to look at having windows automatically roll down in an accident. The glass is unbreakable and makes it tough in a rescue,” a fan posted. And there were more doubts swirling around Tesla’s safety systems, too. “Don’t cybertrucks have self-driving and accident protection? Hope he is okay,” another user added, clearly confused about what went wrong.

But here’s where it gets tricky. According to Tesla’s website, the Cybertruck is “Designed to Be the Safest Truck on the Road.” They back that claim up with some heavy stats—low center of gravity, top crash-test ratings, and standard features like Active Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning. It’s the kind of spec sheet that sounds bulletproof on paper.

Even so, fans didn’t totally ignore that side of the argument. “The Cybertruck has a 5-star crash safety rating from NHTSA. It’s actually one of the safest vehicles you can drive,” someone pointed out. “From the looks of the crash, he was going extremely fast. He’s lucky to be alive.” Another fan offered a more neutral take, saying, “To be fair, this could have happened in any vehicle… Hope this gentleman recovers!”

And then there were the defenders. “Cybertruck saved him. Like being in a shield with airbags,” one fan wrote. Another added, “Honestly, the Cybertruck likely saved his life.”

So while the debate keeps rolling, let’s just hope Alijah keeps healing.