A 12-year-old baseball player is in a coma, fighting for his life after falling out of his bunk in the dormitory at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
According to a report published on Tuesday, Easton Oliverson fell from his bunk while sleeping on Sunday night and suffered a fractured skull. The Snow Canyon Little League pitcher, nicknamed “Tank,” was rushed to the hospital where doctors evaluated his condition and performed emergency surgery.
Spencer Beck, Oliverson’s uncle, told The Salt Lake Tribune that another boy sleeping in the dormitory with Easton may have saved his life — he was awakened when Easton fell from the bunk and immediately ran for help.
“Had that other player not been wakened by him falling, he may not have made it,” Beck said, adding, “He went through pretty traumatic surgery to get to where he’s at, but the doctors are all really positive. All of the steps moving forward have been good so far.”
Oliverson has been in a medically-induced coma since arriving at the hospital, but his family issued a statement early Tuesday morning saying that the boy appeared to be showing some positive signs of recovery.
“Just 36 hours ago, Easton was 30 minutes from passing away. Now 36 hours later, he has a team of Trauma 1 doctors who are in absolute awe of his tremendous progress,” the statement said. “One of his doctors said that everything they have hoped Easton to be able to do in the last 12 hours, he has done and more.”
Oliverson’s team, which hails from Santa Clara, Utah, is making its first-ever appearance in the Little League World Series this year — and is the first-ever team from Utah to make it to the series. The team is scheduled to play its first game on Friday at 1 p.m. local time. Snow Canyon went ahead with practice, according to the Tribune — and Beck said he believed Easton would have approved.
“I’m sure that’s what Easton would want,” he said. “I know that they’ll have him at the forefront of their thoughts and hearts.”
Poison frontman Bret Michaels reacted to the news on Twitter, saying, “As a father, a baseball fanatic & a human – our thoughts & prayers are with Easton Oliverson, his family, friends & teammates. @LittleLeague #LLWS #SnowCanyon #Tank.”
As a father, a baseball fanatic & a human – our thoughts & prayers are with Easton Oliverson, his family, friends & teammates. @LittleLeague #LLWS #SnowCanyon #Tank
— Bret Michaels (@bretmichaels) August 16, 2022