Neurodivergent Son Allegedly Hit by Classmate, Parents Speak Out

It’s a universal truth: No parent wants to see their child get hurt.

During the newborn stage, we constantly check if they’re still breathing. One mosquito bite can prompt us to hunt down every mosquito in sight. We kiss their boo-boos to make them feel better. Even animals become fiercely protective of their young. Think about a dog that has just given birth.

That’s why a reel from Facebook content creator Tricycle Diaries quickly went viral. The reel simply said, “Ganito ang ginawa sa anak namin,” before showing, using a helmet and a school desk, how their child was hurt inside the school. The reel has since garnered 13 million views.

Smart Parenting reached out to Rox and Benjo Dimaandal, the parents behind the viral video.

“Right now, Lukas is still healing. Mas nakakakain na siya ngayon kaysa noong last time. Medyo sumasakit lang daw pag nag-toothbrush,” Rox, Lukas’ mother, shared about his condition a few weeks after the incident. Thankfully, he is on his way to recovery.

Psychologically, though, he still has a long way to go.

“He’s traumatized. Pag-aalis kami at madadaanan namin yung school, pilit niyang isinasara yung bintana ng kotse kahit nakasara naman na. He doesn’t want to go near the school. He doesn’t want to go to face-to-face schooling. Sinabi niya sa amin na mas gusto daw niyang bumalik na lang sa online school. He will also see a psychiatrist soon.”

In the viral Facebook reel, Benjo, Lukas’ father, recreated how the incident happened. He demonstrated the force of the impact by hitting a school desk with a motorcycle helmet, estimating the speed at around 30 mph. The repeated blows eventually broke the desk. Based on his research, Benjo compared the impact to that of a car accident.

Rox told Smart Parenting about the game that led to the incident: “They’re playing the Helmet Challenge. Ang mangyayari, iyung taya isusuot iyung helmet. Iyung other players will tap or papaluin iyung taya tapos huhulaan kung sino ang pumalo.”

Lukas initially declined to join the game that day because he had reapeatedly been the taya in previous rounds. Benjo also interviewed other students and witnesses, who told him, “Napapansin po namin kahit tama ang hula ni Lukas, pinapalo pa din nila ng helmet. Kaya ang ending palaging taya si Lukas.”

On the day of the incident, it happened again. Lukas was repeatedly hit until his lip bled and his teeth were injured.

“Dalawang ngipin iyung lumubog, isang ngipin iyung natanggal, putok ang labi, sampung araw na lugaw, tulala,” Benjo said, describing what Lukas went through afterward.

He also mentioned in the video that Lukas is neurodivergent, which can make it difficult for him to understand social cues. Lukas is 17 years old.

“Iyung anak namin may special needs. Also, given na seven years siyang hindi pumasok sa face-to-face na school, hindi niya alam kung paano i-defend ang sarili niya,” Benjo said.

Despite being repeatedly hit, Lukas continued to apologize to the classmate. Benjo also shared in the video that Lukas had a life-threatening illness as a baby and spent 45 days in the NICU. According to Benjo, this illness had lasting effects on Lukas’ emotional and social development.

Rox and Benjo were even more frustrated by how the school handled the incident. The incident occurred inside a classroom at a private school in the Bicol region. At around 10 AM, Lukas was hit by his classmate. Rox and Benjo only learned about what happened when they picked him up at around 2 PM.

While still at school, Lukas was given an ice pack for his injuries, attended another class, and even took an exam.

Benjo emphasized in his video, “Paano na lang kung na-coma si Lukas? Iyung paghampas ng helmet, ang katumbas nito ay vehicular accident. Dito nangyayari iyung mga traumatic brain injury. Pero hindi sinabi sa amin. We were never informed. In between that time, that is very crucial na sana dapat dinala na sa ospital or kahit parent intervention.”

According to the video, the student who hit Lukas was sanctioned with a three-day suspension and three days of community service. This follows the school handbook, which states: “Assaulting or inflicting injury on another within school premises, first offense, suspension and community service for 3 to 5 days.”

In a separate Facebook post, the couple explained why they decided to share their experience publicly:

“I am posting this as a public reminder and plea to all school administrators, teachers, and fellow parents: We must take bullying and campus violence seriously before it leads to a permanent tragedy. They need proper supervision and true compassion for neurodivergent and special needs students who are trying their best to adapt to traditional environments. No child should ever experience physical harm or aggressive behavior in a place meant for learning, growth, and safety.”

“This is not just about one family's painful experience; it is a call for deeper awareness. Our children deserve a learning environment free from fear.”

Rox and Benjo continue to take action following the incident. Their Facebook page, Tricycle Diaries, has also shared stories from netizens who said they experienced similar incidents.

Their story also reached Congress and became part of the basis for a proposed measure called the “Safe Schools and Violence Prevention Act of 2026.”

Rep. Robert Nazal proposed House Bill No. 10543, which seeks to establish a National Safe Schools Framework requiring annual risk assessments, emergency teams, and confidential reporting channels in educational institutions. Under the proposed measure, schools would also be required to provide immediate medical care, notify parents within 15 minutes of an incident, and preserve relevant records.

Through their story, Rox and Benjo are calling for greater awareness of school violence and bullying—and for schools to be places where every child, including neurodivergent and special needs students, can learn without fear. 

DepEd's new law gives it more flexibility in teaching methods.