Little League baseball player, 12, is placed in medically induced coma after falling out of bunk

On Aug 16, 2022

Easton Oliverson, a pitcher and outfielder for Utah‘s Snow Canyon Little League team, was sleeping when he fell out of his bunk bed and fracture his skull on Sunday night, according to the team. He was rushed to the hospital, where Oliverson underwent emergency surgery.

He is now in a medically induced coma, his uncle told TMZ, adding that the family is optimistic that he will recover. Oliverson was able to give two ‘thumbs up’ gestures late Sunday night, his coach told Salt Lake City’s ABC affiliate.

Another positive update from the family followed on Tuesday: ‘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.’

A 12-year-old who was set to compete in the upcoming Little League World Series is now in a Pennsylvania ICU after fracturing his skull when he fell out of a bunk bed at the Williamsport venue’s team dormitory last weekend. Easton Oliverson, a pitcher and outfielder for Utah’s Snow Canyon Little League team, was sleeping when he fell out of his bunk bed and fracture his skull on Sunday night, according to the team. He was rushed to the hospital, where Oliverson underwent emergency surgery

‘He’s a really good kid, very loving,’ uncle Spencer Beck told TMZ. ‘Full of smiles. Just a fun, fun kid – so we’re all praying for him.’

Team coach Kyle Hafen told Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate that Oliverson was alert initially after his fall, but that his condition quickly deteriorated. Doctors are expected to run more tests when the swelling in his brain decreases.

Little League international released a statement Monday: ‘At the request of his family, Little League International encourages all to join us in keeping the Snow Canyon Little League player and his family in our thoughts and prayers, as we wish for a full and complete recovery.

‘Little League International will continue to use all available resources, including those provided by UPMC in North Central Pa., through the Player Wellness Center, to support the player, his family, and his coaches and teammates, as we navigate this unfortunate situation.’

Oliverson’s team, meanwhile, will play in its first ever Little League World Series game on Friday. The boy’s father, a team coach named Jace, encouraged the other boys to proceed without his son (second row, second from the right)

Utah Governor Spencer Cox reacted to the news Monday, tweeting: ‘Our prayers are with this player, family and team today’

‘We’ve worked too hard to get to this point,’ Hafen said Jace Oliverson told him.

‘While our hearts are heavy,’ the team said in the statement, ‘we are committed as a team to have an opportunity to take part in something that is only dreamt about by others.’

A Venmo account to help the family pay his medical expenses has been launched via the username, @MiraclesForTank.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox reacted to the news Monday, tweeting: ‘Our prayers are with this player, family and team today.’

A general view of Team Michigan and Team Ohio during the 2021 Little League World Series at Howard J Lamade Stadium on Sunday, August 29, 2021 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania