Teenager left disfigured after attempting seriously dangerous 'couch-surfing' trend
A wild 'couch-surfing' trend inside the TikTok generation has seen a US teenager get permanently injured.
Originating from Provo, a city in Utah, Levi Teemant decided to give this high-wire Jackass-esque stunt a go in a church car park at the beginning of May, which sees daredevil partakers laying down on a couch as it's pulled by a vehicle.
Levi, who is just 15 years old, was flung into the air when one of the sofa's legs broke off.
The youngster proceeded to fracture his face, spine and skull, suffering brain trauma. He was then medically induced into a coma.
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According to his mother, Amy, the group her son was hanging around with attempted to 'couch surf' a week prior to the horrendous incident, but Levi didn't volunteer that time.
Amy told KSL of her son: "He told me he was so proud that he didn't do it. Since he saw all of his friends do it and they walked away safe, he must've thought it was OK.
"The first time he makes that choice, he sits on that couch, and the couch leg breaks, and he goes flying, and it's a horrible, horrible accident."
Doctors and nurses treating Levi informed the heartbroken parent that her boy wasn't the only person to get dangerously caught up in the social media trend.
"They told us this is the third case they've seen of couch-surfing here at Primary Children's this year," Amy added. "Be aware that this is an awful trend and it's a terrible idea."
Despite this terrible outcome for Levi, Amy revealed that he's been showing signs of improvement while under the protection of paralysing drugs.
Last week, she also uploaded footage of Levi onto Instagram, depicting a sweet moment between the mother and son as he gripped her hand from his hospital bed.
"There are no words to see my sweet boy recognising me and showing me love like this!" wrote Amy.
"It was as if he knew I have been stressed, heartbroken and by his side for 18 days and he wanted to show his love to me and make me smile and laugh again! I've been crying tears of joy finally able to see Levi's personality is still so sweet and is Levi through and through."
The family launched a GoFundMe page to help cover Levi's medical bills.
At the time of writing, $55,000 (£40,844) has been raised of the $60,000 (£44,558) target.
Dan Seddon