A former West Virginia University student who was left in a persistent vegetative state after a brutal beating outside a convenience store 10 years ago died Saturday, a report said.

Ryan Diviney’s father, Ken, rushed his 29-year-old son to the hospital after noticing that his heart rate was too fast, The Washington Post reported, adding that trips to the hospital were not uncommon for the family.

Ken quit his job so he could be his son’s caretaker, the report said.

During the ride, Ken noticed that his son was losing consciousness. He pulled the car over and told his wife to call 911 while he performed CPR. He told the paper that his son’s body stiffened and his head dropped.

“I knew it would come eventually,” he told the paper. “But I didn’t think it would hurt like this.”

The Nov. 7, 2009 beating in Morgantown, W.Va., resulted in the arrests of Austin Vantrease, 19, and Jonathan May, a student at the time at WVU. The paper reported that May threw the first punch after sneaking up from behind.

Once on the ground, the report said – citing a witness – that Vantrease kicked his head like a football. The injuries were extensive with bleeding in the brain.

May was convicted of misdemeanor battery and sentenced to a year in prison and Vantrease was found guilty of malicious assault and was paroled four years after his 2010 sentencing.

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Ken said he was grateful for the generosity of strangers and the support from his community, but said he remains angry at the men who beat his son.