physicians. i was watching the game last night. and immediately started texting with others about this. given as andy said, especially what had happened just in a previous game, there s a couple of things. when you look at the video from last night, it obviously looks like a pretty significant injury. tua s on the ground for a long time. this movement that he s doing with his hands, christine, that is a significant sign, something that people really need to pay attention to. it can be a sign of basically disrupting some of the pathways, even temporarily, between the brain and the spinal cord there. let me just show you here. if that sounds serious, it is serious. you know, you look at some of these areas obviously, the brain, spinal cord down here. but some of these pathways here in what is called the brain stem can be even temporarily disrupted and that can cause people to have sort of these almost posturing, they call it, like reflexes.
i think what is concerning about, again, the previous game, when it comes to tua was that the protocols are pretty good, but then again, there are some no-go criteria. some things you look at and you say, that is obviously a problem. and in the previous game, he pretty clearly had a problem. i think anybody who was watching that, that was gross motor instability. and then, now, you add this what happened last night on top of that, it could have magnified that previous problem. even if it didn t, again, as i show you, a significant problem to the brain and those areas going to the brain stem. you re a practicing neurosurgeon, so we take you at your word that this is a dangerous situation. dr. sanjay gupta, thank you so much. nice to see you this morning. you got it. cnn s special coverage continues right now. hurricane ian strengthening again and taking direct aim at the carolina coast.
pennsylvania. jason, everyone pulling for this young man. reporter: incredible story. you know, john, easton s nickname is actually tank. and he has really earned that nickname. he s proven himself to be a tough little man. his doctors and his family say he s already won something much bigger than any championship title. all right. oh, buddy, food. reporter: with every scoop, easton oliverson is defying the odds. just like you re scooping a ball in left field. reporter: he s awake, alert and communicating. do you feel like it is going the right way? does it feel like it is getting stuck? reporter: the 12-year-old little lighter now out of intensive care. his father says it was just days ago when doctors told him he may not survive. doctors are saying he s 30 minutes max from dying with so much pressure on his brain stem that here we are, not even three
reporter: the 12-year-old little leaguer now out of intensive care. his father says it was just days ago when doctors told him he may not survive! . doctors are saying he s 30 minutes max from dying with so much pressure on his brain stem, that here we are, not even three full days later, he has his mobility, his brain function, and it s not by easton is a player on the snow canyon little league team. the pride of utah. they re the first team from the state to make it to the little league world series in its 75-year history so you can imagine all the excitement the team, his family had leading up to it. all that crushed monday morning during an unimaginable accident when easton fell out of his bunk bed while sleeping and hit his head. it was so heart-wrenching. we couldn t believe what we
they were not sure he would make it through the night. doctors are saying he s 30 minutes max from dying. with so much pressure on the brain stem. that here we are not even three full days later he has his mobility, brain function and it is not by coincidence. reporter: incredible recovery here. and also, the family sent us some pictures of easton watching the little league game from the hospital bed. as the game was getting underway and announced the name the entire stadium stood up and applauded and his 10-year-old brother who stood in the way and said i ll play for my brother applauding for him.