Residents in a small town in northwest Oklahoma are rallying behind a young boy, who is fighting for his life after being infected with E. coli.

State health officials in Oklahoma are investigating a spike in a deadly strain of E. coli. Eight-year-old Connor Sneary of Alva, Oklahoma, is one of at least a dozen people who became hospitalized.

Connor has been in the intensive care unit at OU Children’s Hospital where he remains in critical condition. As part of the treatment, he is undergoing dialysis and blood transfusions.

Connor has a form of E. coli that the family believes may have been contracted at an agricultural event at the Oklahoma State Fair Grounds. Investigators say that is a possibility.

Several organizations are hosting events benefiting Connor’s family. The Oklahoma Blood Institute will have a special blood drive in Alva on Tuesday, April 8, from noon to 6 p.m., at the First Christian Church. All donations will be credited to Connor for his use.