12-year-old Xavier Taylor receives widespread support after baseball accident leaves him with a critical injury

The support for Xavier Taylor, a 12-year-old boy from Maple Shade who was critically injured after being struck with a baseball last Tuesday, has grown nationwide.

He reportedly was hit in the head with a baseball at Fellowship Columbia Bank Field while warming up for a game with Maple Shade Youth Baseball, collapsed, and had to be airlifted to Cooper University Hospital.

His father, Gregory Taylor, told NBC10 on May 30 that his son was in critical condition and on a ventilator. Gregory wrote on Facebook late Thursday night that “our boy is still alive. Keep praying and believing with us for a miracle.”

All updates on Xavier’s condition are only coming from the family going forward, according to a Cooper University Health Care spokesperson.

Communities from far and wide have banded together to offer encouragement, prayers, and assistance to Xavier and the Taylor family.

“Our primary goal now is to ensure we are there for them in prayer and faith, helping them every way we can,” wrote Dan Juckett, the Maple Shade Youth Baseball president, in a statement. “We deeply appreciate the support shown by the community and those around the country, please keep all prayers coming.”

A Meal Train donation page for the Taylor family has raised more than $122,000 from more than 1,600 donors since it was posted last week.

Maple Shade Youth Baseball partnered with A & S Screen Printing & Embroidery in Cinnaminson to sell “Shade Strong for Xavier” T-shirts to benefit the family.

The volume of orders for the shirts overwhelmed the online storefront, causing A & S to shut down the original page and launch a second on Wednesday morning.

A store representative at A & S said that around 400 orders came in on the original online store after it was posted to the Maple Shade Youth Baseball Association’s Facebook page on Tuesday.

Most of the orders came from the Philadelphia area, but a few were placed from as far away as Maryland and Tennessee. The store said six orders were placed within the first 20 minutes of the new digital storefront opening.

The Hamilton, N.J.-based Babe Ruth League, which oversees Maple Shade’s youth league, also issued a statement.

“At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with Xavier Taylor and his family,” wrote Steven Tellefsen, the Babe Ruth League president and CEO. “Our focus remains on supporting Xavier, his family, and the Maple Shade Cal Ripken League community during this very difficult time.”

Stores and other youth baseball organizations have planned and held fundraisers for the family, ranging from snack stand fundraisers at Little League games in Pitman and West Deptford to ice cream benefits at The Ice Cream Post in Bridesburg and Happy Scoops in Voorhees.

Little Leaguers from New Jersey and around the country have sported No. 6, Xavier’s number, and posed with their arms crossed in an X to show support for him.

Maple Shade Youth Baseball also posted a callout on Facebook for supporters to leave a bat on their front porch in Xavier’s honor, and on Wednesday night, the Ben Franklin Bridge was lit up blue for him.

On Thursday, the Trenton Thunder invited the Taylor family and Xavier’s Maple Shade teammates to a game, where they paid tribute to Xavier.

Major League Baseball teams also have shared their support. Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs sent a video message to Xavier that was posted to Facebook on Tuesday.

“We’re going to be Xavier strong here with the Phillies,” Stubbs said in the video.

The Tampa Bay Rays posted a video on Instagram and TikTok on Wednesday morning with players and manager Kevin Cash sending messages of hope to the Taylor family.

Former Phillies Jonathan Papelbon and Ricky Bottalico also filmed video messages that were posted to Facebook on Monday.