This past Sunday night my mom Debbie Leavitt and little sister Kristen were on their deck having a little fire with their table top fire pit. While enjoying each others company on what they thought was going to be a celebratory night of my sisters last night home before moving in with her long term boyfriend, the fire pit exploded and within seconds lit everything on fire including them. The stairs were not accessible due to the flames and because their hands were on fire, they were unable to open the door. While literally burning alive, my younger sister busted through the screen door from all the adrenaline, getting my mom and herself into the house and off of the blazing deck. Terrified for their lives, they managed to put out the fires that had started on every single limb and get to their neighbor who called 911 for help.
Still scared and now alone, they traveled separately to two different hospitals fearing for their lives and each others. Hours later they were both rushed to the the best burn facility in Upstate to get the proper care needed to treat such extreme conditions.
Kristen has been declared with 41% of her body covered in 2nd & 3rd degree burn, not including her face with 1st degree burn, and my mom has been declared with 22% 2nd & 3rd degree burn. Thankfully the facility has the technology to create the proper form of skin grafts needed for each of them which both my mom and Kristen have underwent in their first round of surgery yesterday. Unfortunately though, they will need a few rounds of these surgeries as well as nerve repair down the line. They have a very long and hard road to recovery ending with rehab to learn basic functions like walking.
Not only will I never forget the screams I heard as I was on the phone with them to Connecticut for a work trip so I could “celebrate” with them, but my family and I will never forget the gut wrenching hurt we feel everyday as we walk into their rooms seeing them in such pain.
Though this is a very traumatic and hard time for all of us, we can not thank god enough for getting them out alive or for the amazing treatments they are receiving to save their lives.
Because this is not something you plan or budget for, we reach out with heavy hearts to ask for your help for any donations that will help us cover these costs. Anything makes a huge difference and if you can’t donate, please share this link:
Your support, in any form, means the world to us and we will keep you updated on their progress and how your generosity is helping.
Thank you form the bottom of our hearts for standing with us during this challenging time.
With gratitude,
The Leavitts’
