Little League World Series player critically hurt in fall moved out of intensive care, family says
A Little League World Series player has been moved out of the intensive care unit, his family said Thursday, days after he fell from his bunk bed and was hospitalized in critical condition.
In a Facebook update, the family of Easton Oliverson, a member of Utah's Snow Canyon Little League, said the 12-year-old had been moved to a regular hospital room and can now speak and stand. The boy was able to take "two steps with support," as well as feed himself.
"The Oliverson family firmly believes in the power of miracles through faith. We have seen this to be true so far in Easton's recovery," the family said. "We are so grateful for the faith and prayers of everyone who is rooting for Easton."
The family has been updating the public on Oliverson's health on Instagram and Facebook, sharing photos and videos of him. In one clip Thursday, he is seen grabbing a spoon, dipping it in a food cup and bringing it toward his mouth.
Oliverson was taken to a hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania, Monday after suffering the fall. He sustained a fractured skull and an epidural hematoma, which, according to Mount Sinai, is when there is bleeding between the inside of the skull and the outermost layer of the brain.
He was also on a breathing machine and was sedated to allow his "brain to heal," his family said. His condition garnered nationwide attention and prompted Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Oliverson's favorite baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts, to wish him a speedy recovery.
Oliverson has progressed since. On Tuesday, he was being weened off fentanyl, and doctors had "started to back off his oxygen," his family said. A neurosurgeon told the family Oliverson's CT scan "came back looking great," his family added. They said he was no longer sedated as of Wednesday.
The Snow Canyon Little League all-stars will also have Oliverson's younger brother, Brogan, suit up for team as his replacement.
The team is representing the Mountain Region, and this year became the first team from Utah to make it to the Little League World Series. Their first game is scheduled for Friday. The tournament, held annually in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, features 20 teams – 10 from the U.S. and 10 from around the world.