Clifton, NJ 13-year-old in a coma after bike-car collision

A 13-year-old boy is in a coma after colliding with a car while on his bicycle over the weekend in Clifton, according to an online fundraising campaign created in his honor.

Aqel Khalifeh is listed in critical condition and has already undergone multiple surgeries, the GoFundMe campaign says. After he was seriously injured in the accident, he was transported to St. Joseph's in Paterson.

The incident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday as Aqel rode his bike along Fifth Avenue, according to NJ.com. When he approached the intersection of West Second Street, Aqel hit a moving vehicle and was thrown from his bike.

The driver of the vehicle stopped immediately and tried to help, according to the NJ.com report. The driver has not been charged.

New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to Clifton officials for confirmation.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, more than $70,000 had been raised for Aqel and his family on the GoFundMe platform.. The campaign's goal is $100,000.

"Aqel's recovery is going to be a long and challenging journey, not only for him but also for his family who are dealing with this traumatic incident," reads the campaign, which was created by a family friend. "The medical bills will rapidly accumulate and the family will be at his bedside and will need help managing the expenses."

Aqel is a rising eighth-grader at Christopher Columbus Middle School in Clifton, according to the campaign.

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