For any 12-year-old fortunate enough to play in the Little League World Series, it's a dream come true.
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Easton Oliverson was on the verge of realizing that dream until a tragic event changed his life forever.
Oliverson, a pitcher and outfielder who was set to play in last year's LLWS for the Snow Canyon team from Santa Clara, Utah, suffered a fall from a top bunk at a dormitory in Williamsport. He was rushed to Geisinger Janet Weiss Children's Hospital in nearby Mechanicsville and underwent surgery for a head injury.
A month after the fall, Oliverson's family filed a lawsuit against both the bed manufacturer and Little League International, seeking $50,000 for negligence for lack of a bedrail.
The incident prompted Little League International officials to remove the bunks and place single beds on the floor individually last year. That will also be the case at this year's LLWS.
"Little League decided to provide its participants with single, one-level beds for all of their player housing at each of its tournament locations, including those in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where the dormitories can accommodate all 14 single beds," Little League International said in a statement issued to the Associated Press August 14.
Oliverson's father, Jace, was told by doctors his son was not expected to live. But Oliverson fought through surgery and was out of intensive care two days later. Since then, he's undergone three brain surgeries and is still recovering.
According to Oliverson's parents, their son was not the first to fall from a bunk at the LLWS.
"There was another little boy in 2019 who had suffered a TBI," Jace told WNEP.COM. "And because of a bunk bed and not taking the safety precautions, it should have taken my son."
Until the end of 2022, the family posted updates on social media of Oliverson's recovery. Little League International has declined comment on the lawsuit.
The LLWS starts this week and runs through August 27 in Williamsport, featuring 10 U.S. regional champions and 10 international regional champions. All games will air on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
