RESILIENCY IN RECOVERY
Teen is already looking forward to playing Pony baseball again once he heals from car accident in June
A warm summer Sunday playing baseball. For many kids, this is the perfect way to spend the weekend, especially when getting to participate in an All-Star Tournament.
That is how 13-year-old Xavier Escamillo spent June 26 with his team, the Vacaville Pony All-Stars in Rodeo. On his way home however, his life changed forever.
Traffic was heavy and so the decision was made to take the back roads. Xavier was in the back passenger seat, his mom Katie McCoulf in the front passenger seat, her partner Lawrence behind the wheel.
For a couple miles, according to McCoulf, the family got stuck behind a car that she believes was travelling at about 20 mph. The moment they tried to pass the slow-moving vehicle, the driver began turning into a home, striking the family's car.
The car tailspinned as a result. The main impact came from striking a tree, affecting Xavier directly. The car then ended up back in the middle of the road, totaled.
Thankfully, everyone in the car was wearing their seat belts. Another blessing says McCoulf — an ER nurse was driving right behind them.
McCoulf says she was in such a panic, she has no idea who the nurse is other than that she is “an angel”.
Could it be possible that she really was an angel? McCoulf lost Xavier's older brother when he took his own life back in 2017 and simply couldn't fathom the idea of losing another child.
When the EMTs arrived to the scene on Pleasants Valley Road in front of Morning-Sun Herb Farm, they were shocked to see that Xavier was laid exactly in the position he needed to be in.
As McCoulf panicked watching her son bleed, she noticed people who had pulled over to pray for Xavier. She says this was a bright spot in such a terrifying situation.
“It was beautiful, the way people were so willing to help,” said McCoulf.
After initally being taken to Vacaville Kaiser Medical Center, Xavier was transferred by helicopter to the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
Initially he was in a coma and had a breathing tube. Although there is not yet an official diagnosis, doctors believe he may have sustained a traumatic brain injury. The doctors explained to McCoulf that his brain was shook violently like a can of soda. Now that it had settled, it needed to be treated with the utmost care.
Xavier also sustained three broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Miraculously, only one day after the accident, Xavier's breathing tube was removed. He slowly woke up and began minimal communication through hand gestures to his mom.
By June 30, Xavier was completely conscious and somewhat verbal. Although he was still sedated, he was able to swallow which meant he was one step closer to having his feeding tube removed.
On July 9, Xavier was able to be transferred to Shriners Children's Hospital Northern California across the street from UCD Medical Center in Sacramento. He had made incredible progress, now talking, eating on his own and walking.
The move to Shriners will allow Xavier to get all of the physical, speech and occupational therapy needed to recover. Although Xavier still has a long road ahead of him, the will he has had to get back to himself has been encouraging.
The family has been welcomed with open arms in Sacramento. McCoulf says the UCD Medical Center staff got to know the family since they were there everyday. They always validated the family's parking and made sure they had everything they needed, including coffee.
Xavier's mother says she has been blessed with gas card donations from friends and family, so she has yet to need to pay for gas out of pocket. She was also presented with a $2,500 check from the Vacaville Fire Department.
Vacaville Pony Baseball Uniform/Spirit Wear Coordinator Karin Olson started a GoFundMe for Xavier and his family. As of the publication of this story, the GoFundMe has raised $14,333. The GoFundMe's goal was $10,000.
“Katie was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and the love the community has for Xavier,” said Olson. “The fact that we hit the goal in less than 24 hours says a lot about how many good people there are with big hearts. We received donations from all over the coun
try, some from baseball parents who have never met Xavier, but wanted to support a fellow player.”
McCoulf says she was touched to see that Rodeo Baseball, the team Xavier's team had played that day, had donated $500 to the GoFundMe.
“I thought that Rodeo's donation was so sweet and uplifting,” she remarked. “Baseball is a true community and Pony is a family.”
Vacaville Pony Baseball also donated $500 and McCoulf says their support means the world.
After his older brother's death, Xavier was given a lifetime scholarship to play Pony baseball, which he began participating in at just 6 years-old. Xavier threw out the first pitch in memory of his brother, who also played Pony baseball, shortly after his passing.
Xavier's absence has been felt by the Vacaville Pony Baseball team in an multitude of ways. They are not only missing him in the dugout and at the hot corner, but they are also missing his brotherhood off of the diamond.
“Xavier is one of the nicest kids I have met while coaching and as a parent,” said Vacaville Pony Baseball Coach David Olson. “His huge smile is so infectious. Talk about a kid with a great attitude and the biggest heart. He is a great ballplayer and has huge potential. This setback, no one could have predicted. Xavier's injury impacted the team greatly, not just because we lost our third baseman but because we lost a true anchor to our team. Some players were definitely hit harder than others, as to be expected. Those players only want the best for Xavier and have been praying since the beginning. We would just like everyone to keep Xavier in their prayers as he is recovering. We hope to seem him back at Pony Baseball soon.”
Although baseball is a huge part of Xavier's life, his focus for now needs to be on getting back to being the fun-loving, sweet young man everyone says he is. His mother asks for continued thoughts and prayers for her soon to be eighth grader.
One thing is for sure, as Xavier continues to make progress along his long road to recovery, he will have a guardian angel in his brother at his side.
To donate to the family's GoFundMe, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/pony-baseball-player-in-major-car-accident.