UPDATE: Little League to change sleeping arrangements in response to player’s accident
The family of a Little League player from Utah who had a severe head injury early Monday when he fell from a bunk bed in a player dorm said the boy was “near death” but has made “tremendous progress.”
“Our Easton is a fighter,” they said.
Spencer Beck shared on Facebook this afternoon that the parents and family of Easton Oliverson, 12, have been “absolutely blown away by the outpouring of love and support being shown for Easton and his family. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Beck said doctors are weaning the 12-year off of fentanyl and oxygen and “his body has been reacting very well to this.”
The family said that according to the neurosurgeon, the CT scan “came back looking great.”
“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.
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. We believe that Easton’s prayer army is giving him the strength to makes these strides.
While his parents are MORE than grateful for the service, love, and donations that have been made - they want us to spread the word that prayer is the most important to them. At this moment, we would like to ask for prayers that the results from Easton’s MRI will come back good. THANK YOU!!” the family posted.
Easton traveled to Pennsylvania with his team, the Snow Canyon All Stars, from Santa Clara, Utah, to play in the Little League World Series representing the Mountain Region. The series starts on Wednesday, Aug. 17.
It is the first time a team from Utah is competing in the world series.
According to earlier reports, Easton fell from a bunk bed about six feet onto a hardwood floor. The fall was heard by his roommate, who immediately got help. Easton was taken to Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville where he underwent surgery for a fractured skull.
The team is scheduled to play its first game on Friday, Aug. 19, at 1 p.m. It will air on ESPN. The series runs Aug. 17 to 25. Easton’s father, Jace, is a coach for the team.
In a statement, the team has said it will play on Friday.
“As a team preparing for the Little League World Series, Coach O expressed his desire for Team Utah to finish what we started and compete and enjoy this amazing experience.
While our hearts are heavy, we are committed as a team to have an opportunity to take part in something that is only dreamt about by others.
We teach our players to do everything with a purpose — that hasn’t changed. It has perhaps been added to with something far greater than ever. We believe in Team Utah. We believe in Team Easton.”
A Venmo account has been started to help the family with expenses - @MiraclesForTank (Easton’s nickname).
Easton Oliverson plays for the Snow Canyon All Stars Little League team from Utah. The team is the first ever from Utah to compete in the Little League World Series.