GEORGETOWN, Texas (KEYE) -- We’re learning more about the six-year-old boy who died after being attacked with a baseball bat on Sept. 11.
Jeremy Diaz was attacked by his neighbor in his Georgetown home.
He had been in critical condition since the assault and had been showing signs of improvement, until he died unexpectedly on Tuesday.
Jeremy Diaz spent a lot of time at Team Rabadi Georgetown Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Muay Thai.
Team Rabadi owner and head instructor Robby Rabadi tells CBS Austin he was a beacon of light, and they’re all heartbroken to hear that light has now sadly gone out.
“Jeremy was the best,” Rabadi said. “He was a thoughtful, very smart, very sweet and kind young boy.”
Those closest to little Jeremy say he was a ray of sunshine, always smiling, willing to help anyone and was well beyond his years.
“If there was one thing I would want people to know about Jeremy is just how much love he had in him; what kind of a beautiful soul,” said Rabadi. “He was six, but you would be hard pressed to find an older, truer soul, and somebody who kinda understood things and understood the big picture. Fast to smile, but always fast to just give empathy and kindness to the person next to him. Always loved helping.”
Rabadi says he had the pleasure of getting to see Jeremy grow into his own for nearly the past year and half.
He says Jeremy took tremendous pride in training in jiu-jitsu and was the only one in his age group to advance to a grey-white belt - a huge honor for the six-year-old boy.
“One of the things he was most known for is how well he tied his belts!” Rabadi said. “We would say, like a black belt knot, and one that I don’t even live up to.”
Just recently in October, a fundraiser for little Jeremy was held, and all his teammates rallied to show their support for the six-year-old boy, wearing shirts that read “TOGETHER WE ARE JEREMY Strong” and “JEREMY HAD OUR BACKS NOW WE HAVE HIS!”
Although Jeremy’s recovery looked grim, it was at that fundraiser that Jeremy’s dad, Arturo Diaz shared some promising news.
He said Jeremy had opened his eyes and began moving his limbs. His recovery seemed to take a turn for the better, until Monday.
“He was moving forward toward more progress and maybe even the next steps, and an unexpected event happened,” said Rabadi.
On Jeremy’s GoFundMe page that has now raised nearly $332,00 Diaz gave the sad update of his son’s passing Tuesday night.
According to the post, Diaz says the hospital was preparing to remove Jeremy’s breathing tube, because he was showing that he didn’t need a ventilator, and his vital signs were improving.
On Monday night, Diaz says Jeremy suddenly started to have what doctors called a “neuro storm,” which can happen to people who've suffered head trauma. It lasted for nearly six hours.
On Tuesday morning, Diaz says he went to check on Jeremy and noticed his face was pale and his eyes weren’t moving, and then his heart stopped.
The six-year-old boy suffered multiple fractures to his skull and swelling to his brain, after his neighbor 39-year-old Daniel Logan broke into the family’s home on and assaulted the young boy and a second person.
“It shattered us to levelsI don’t even know that there are words to really express of just how much it took out of us,” Rabadi said.
Right now, Logan is charged with two first-degree felonies: injury to a child and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a family member.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office says its waiting for autopsy results to determine whether the district attorney will upgrade the charges to capital murder. They added that their "hearts are heavy" to learn of Jeremy's passing and they extend their "deepest condolences” to the Diaz family.
After hearing that Jeremy was no longer here, Rabadi says the loss of the little boy is leaving a gaping hole at Team Rabadi.
“A massive hole. A massive hole,” he said.
At this time, it’s unknown when services for Jeremy will be held.
