LIFT THEM UP
ABOUT LIFT THEM UP
- Started in 2018 to uplift the spirits of patients and families at UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Children’s Hospital, and share their incredible stories.
- A Lift Them Up kid is recognized at every Kentucky Football home game.
- Each Lift Them Up kid gets to lead the team down the Cat Walk
in a custom-built push cart. The kids and their families also get to hang out with the team in the days leading up to the game: attending practices, touring the locker room, and even breaking huddles. - Bringing the idea to life was a joint effort between
UK Athletics, UK HealthCare, the UK College of Engineering, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky, and players like former UK offensive lineman and current Jacksonville Jaguar Luke Fortner, who played a big role in helping design the push cart. - It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both the patients and the players.
THIS WEEK’S LIFT THEM UP KID:
Easton, 9 years old - 9-year-old Easton “Eazy” Watkins was in a car wreck on February 3rd, 2024. He went into a coma and was life-flighted to Kentucky Children’s Hospital where he fought hard for his life.
- Easton had a depressed skull fracture, fractured occipital condyle, traumatic brain injury, and a blood clot in his brain. He underwent an emergency craniotomy shortly after the accident.
- He follows up periodically at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital and has been recovering incredibly well!
- Eazy has an amazingly kind and helpful personality while also being outgoing, adventurous and funny. He is an incredible hype man and teammate, and an overall one-of-a-kind.
- Easton loves baseball more than anything in the world! Before he fully opened his eyes or spoke, the first thing he did was hold a baseball.
- His favorite foods are steak, crab legs and sushi.
- His favorite color is blue, and his favorite UK Football players are