Elberton Boy, 10, Nearly Died in Car Crash — Then Threw Fenway's First Pitch

Paxton Glaude was 9 years old when a car crash near Elberton, Georgia, left him unresponsive for 41 days. This month, at age 10, he stood on the mound at Fenway Park and threw out the first pitch before the Boston Red Sox took the field.

The crash happened on March 3, 2025, at the intersection of GA Highway 72 and Robinwood Lane in Elbert County, according to Georgia State Patrol troopers cited by 105.3 WSGC Radio. Troopers said a Toyota Corolla driven by Paxton's grandfather, Dennis Glaude, turned left into the path of an eastbound Jeep Wrangler as Paxton was returning home from baseball practice. Seated in the rear passenger seat, Paxton sustained severe injuries that required an emergency airlift to a hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, before he was transferred to Atlanta for specialized pediatric trauma care, per the same report. Dennis Glaude has said the accident resulted in Paxton being airlifted from the scene, according to NBC Boston.

Doctors diagnosed Paxton with a Grade III diffuse axonal injury, a severe, high-grade form of traumatic brain damage involving widespread tearing of nerve fibers throughout the brain, according to GoFundMe updates posted by his mother, Abigail Glaude. Doctors estimated Paxton would probably require 24-hour nursing care for the rest of his life, per NBC Boston's reporting. He remained unresponsive for 41 days before speaking his first word — accounts differ on whether it was “Mommy,” as recounted in family Facebook posts, or “hello,” as NBC Boston reported.

Four Months of Hospitalization and Rehab

Paxton was hospitalized from March 3 until July 2, 2025 — about four months — completing 121 total days of care, according to family documentation shared on Facebook. He underwent 17 weeks of intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy in inpatient and day rehabilitation at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, per his mother's GoFundMe updates. That facility operates a 28-bed inpatient pediatric rehabilitation unit — one of the largest in the country — holding specialty accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities for pediatric brain injury care, according to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Motor vehicle collisions are the second leading cause of nonfatal traumatic brain injury hospitalizations in the country, contributing to roughly 17,000 pediatric hospitalizations and 3,000 pediatric deaths annually among children under 18, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data compiled by Practical Neurology. Doctors have called Paxton's recovery remarkable, NBC Boston reported. He still has deficits from the injury, but he has returned to the baseball field, can ride his bike again, and can swim with his cousins, including his cousin Spencer, according to the outlet. His mother, Abigail Glaude, told the station that Paxton works extremely hard every day in school and on his recovery.

A Foundation Born From Crisis

The experience led Paxton's family to launch The 41:10 Foundation, which provides equitable access to youth sports and financial support for local families navigating pediatric crises and disabilities. The Elberton-based nonprofit is governed by Board President Olivia Etheridge and Vice President Abigail Glaude, according to The 41:10 Foundation. Its name references the Bible verse Isaiah 41:10, the organization notes.

Three Days in Boston, Capped by a First Pitch

Paxton's August 6-8 trip to Boston was arranged by Dream On 3, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based nonprofit founded in 2013 by Brandon and Elizabeth Lindsey that organizes sports-themed VIP experiences for children and young adults aged 5 to 21 living with life-altering physical, intellectual, or developmental conditions, per background reported by Construction Equipment Guide. The organization has served over 36,000 individuals through regional chapters since its founding. Paxton, a lifelong Red Sox and Braves fan from Georgia, received a personalized experience from the airport through Fenway Park, NBC Boston reported.

The Elbert County trip itinerary included touring Fenway Park, going inside and signing the Green Monster left-field wall, and taking part in pregame batting practice, according to local reporting from The Elberton Star. Paxton also met Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock, who spent extended time with him on the field before the game to sign autographs and present team memorabilia, per a video shared by the team on Facebook. Paxton then threw out the ceremonial first pitch on August 7, 2026, ahead of Boston's 13-1 win over the Oakland Athletics, and was honored at the game with a custom Red Sox jersey bearing his last name on the back.

His grandmother, Terrie Glaude, said the family felt treated as the most important people that day, according to NBC Boston. Paxton's initial life flight to Greenville placed him, briefly, near another piece of Fenway's design legacy: Fluor Field, home of the High-A Greenville Drive, was built in 2006 as a 6,700-seat replica of Fenway Park, complete with its own 30-foot Greenville Monster wall in left field, according to Hoodline.