Dark Days For Friend Of Hogan's Son

The young man who was in the car driven by Hulk Hogan's son may be an unable to care for himself for the rest of his life, according to the St. Petersburg Times newspaper.

John Graziano, a Marine, was riding in 17-year-old Nick Bollea's Toyota Supra on Aug. 26 when the car crashed into a palm tree in Clearwater, Fla., after traveling at what police called a "high rate of speed."

The St. Petersburg Times reports that Graziano wasn't wearing his seatbelt and suffered severe head trauma.

After the crash, Nick's mother, Linda Bollea, released a statement which said that her son's "sole concern is for the well-being of his friend. On behalf of my family, we ask that your thoughts and prayers be with John and his loved ones."

The 22-year-old Graziano is under the temporary guardianship of his mother, Debra Grazianio and is in critical condition at the Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Fla. His father, Edward Grazianio, who is estranged from Debra Grazianio, is trying to get an independent guardian appointed, according to the paper.

Last month, court-appointed medical professionals examined Graziano and he responded to a pinch and displayed gag reflexes but was unresponsive to other touches and sounds. Joanne Jones, a registered nurse who conducted the examination, told the St. Petersburg Times that Graziano was on total life support, was comatose and may have suffered a seizure.

According to Jones's report, Graziano's skull broke at the base. He also had part of his skull cut out and experienced brain swelling. He suffered cuts on the scalp and had "abnormal collections of blood under the front side of the skull."

"At this present time, (Graziano's doctor) states his prognosis remains guarded," Jones wrote in her Sept. 26 addendum to the report. "He states that this young man most likely will spend the remainder of his life in a nursing home."