GREECE, N.Y. — A local celebrity is receiving prayers from the community after he was struck by a car.

The mother of Jason McElwain, or J-MAC as he is known, confirms he was struck while riding his bicycle on Latta Road Monday afternoon.

McElwain's mother says her son is currently at Strong Memorial Hospital with nine broken ribs and was sedated Monday night. She says he is now awake but a tube will remain in his chest until his lung heals. 

Retired high school basketball coach Jim Johnson is recalling the days McElwain was part of his team at Greece Athena High School.

“He was our team manager for three years and he’s on the autism spectrum,” Johnson said. “And the interesting thing is now he’s about 6 feet 2 and 170, but when he was in high school he was 5-9 and a 110 pounds. So he was a little guy.”

But during McElwain’s senior year, Johnson put the teenager in uniform for the final game on senior night.

“And I got him in with about four minutes to go and what happened next is why I wrote a book called 'The Coach and a Miracle,'" Johnson said. “Because to me a total miracle.”

It was a moment in time back in 2006 that would transform both the coach and the player.

“But he shot an air ball his first shot and missed his second shot,” Johnson said. “Then he proceeded about the next three minutes he scored 20 points, including six three-pointers. It's a memory I will cherish until I take it to my grave.”

It’s why it’s so difficult for Johnson to hear the news that J-MAC was hurt. 

“[He has] broken ribs and he has a collapsed lung and is probably going to be in the hospital for seven to 10 days,” Johnson said. 

This is information Johnson is hearing from the family. J-MAC’s mother says her son was sedated overnight but awake Tuesday morning.

“I'm expecting him to be able to full recovery, but you know, I don't have all the facts,” Johnson said. “I can't say that for 100% right now.”

J-MAC rose to fame by claiming 20 points with six three-pointers in the final minutes of the game – appearing on national television shows and gaining the attention of such greats as Magic Johnson, who came to Greece Athena to help celebrate J-MAC’s miracle.

Not long after graduation, McElwain here to Greece Athena to work as an assistant coach. That lasted for about nine years and to this day he is still employed at the Greece Central School District.

J-MAC also raised awareness about autism.

“So I really think it was God's way of creating hope for people, you know, because there was so much unknown about that,” Johnson said. “And the fact that you see someone that is on the autism spectrum, and he can do something really special and that was great to see.”

Now the community J-MAC inspired is praying for his recovery.

“It’s amazing,” Johnson said. “The people that’ve reached out to me. Knowing him, I think there'll be you know, he's strong-willed and I think he'll find ways to recover and get back out in society and keep doing his thing.”

McElwain attends Faith Bible Church in Henrietta. His pastor said members there are praying for him.

"As the news spread today about his accident, many people were very concerned about him, said Pastor Bob Brado. "And he's a major member of our church and very, very loved here, very popular here, and we care for him deeply."

McElwain's mother says there is no timetable for him to be released from the hospital.