Wilmington, NC (August 29, 2026) - UNCW freshman Drew Ryan suffered a concussion and cuts to his face and leg requiring stitches after a car struck him and a friend on South College Road.

The collision happened Saturday near the University of North Carolina Wilmington and TD Bank in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ryan and his friend were walking facing traffic when the car left the roadway and hit them. Ryan said the collision unfolded too quickly for him to react.

Ryan was reported to be recovering in the hospital after the crash. His mother, Alisha Ryan, said doctors had expressed surprise at how well he was doing.

Wilmington police were investigating when the incident was reported, and vehicle parts had been collected as evidence. Anyone who witnessed the collision or had information about the vehicle or driver was asked to contact the Wilmington Police Department.

Make Recovery Guidance Useful for the Next Class

Drew Ryan was reported to have a concussion after a car struck him and a friend near UNCW. For a student recovering from a concussion, a general question about “returning to school” can be too broad to answer well. When tracking activity changes after a concussion, the practical question concerns the next actual demand: a class meeting, assignment, test or activity. A treating clinician can address what level of participation is appropriate; an instructor can explain what options exist for that particular obligation.

Those conversations do different jobs. A clinician's guidance concerns recovery, while the school controls its academic arrangements. Bringing the same upcoming task to both makes the answer more useful than relying on a general assurance that a student is “doing well.” The public account said Ryan was recovering in the hospital and quoted his mother's positive assessment, but it did not report his schedule or any requested accommodation. The approach is for a student facing a similar decision, not a claim that Ryan already made one.

If Ryan or his family has questions about the collision and his reported concussion, a pedestrian accident lawyer can discuss the injury-related legal issues using his actual circumstances. His next coursework decision still belongs in a conversation with his treating clinician and instructors, who can address the specific class obligation and medical guidance.

Start With the Next Specific Obligation

List the next class or assignment likely to be affected, then ask the treating provider what participation is appropriate. Take that instruction to the relevant instructor or school office and ask how the obligation can be handled. The step is specific enough for both sides to answer without guessing at a recovery timetable.

If the guidance changes, update the school about the obligation affected. A concussion label alone cannot settle every class decision; the useful plan connects current care advice to the work actually due. Nothing in the crash report says what arrangements Ryan needed, so his own course should not be assumed from the general example.