Teen nearly killed car surfing: 'I don't want anyone to end up like this'

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. (KMSP) - It has been a long road for 17-year-old Andrew Green, and it’s not over. In his final weeks of high school, he's missed being in a school musical, choir and band concerts, prom -- but before heading home from the hospital on Thursday, he explains how a few seconds playing a daring game almost killed him.

Andrew admits doing well is a relative term. His headache is so severe from his brain injury, it hurts to pick his head off the pillow.

“I could be paralyzed. I could have lost my ability to talk like this. There are so many things that could have happened,” he said.

BACKSTORY - Car surfing accident leaves Columbia Heights, Minn. teen in critical condition

He has been at North Memorial Hospital, and now, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare since April 12, the day the high school senior, school mascot, choir and band enthusiast was goofing around with friends and decided to do some car surfing, something he has done before.

“One of my friends ran into the car and then I went onto the hood, and I said go, go, go,” he said.

Laying on his stomach, holding onto the front grill, he fell off the hood when his friend took a turn at 20 miles per hour. The injury from hitting his head on the pavement forced doctors to remove part of his skull and put him into a medically-induced coma for a month.

“If I never jumped on the car, this wouldn't be a thing,” Andrew said. “I'd still be at school, I would have gone to all the theater stuff I missed.”

Eight weeks later, his days are filled with therapy sessions and he’ll require more surgery, but his advice to other teens is clear: Car surfing isn't worth the risk.

“If I ever have the chance to tell someone or stop someone, I want to take that chance. I don't want anyone to end up like this, and there is a possibility they could end up even worse than this,” Andrew said.

The Anoka County sheriff's office is still investigating this accident and will soon be turning the case over the county prosecutor to consider charges against the driver, but he’s adamant he and his family do not want charges filed.

MORE - Teen critically hurt car surfing, mom speaks to spare another family