UPDATE: Burn victim finally at Milpark
Sean was taken off the respirator on Sunday and was able to exchange a few words with his mother for the first time.
Burn victim Sean Smith (16) was finally transferred to Milpark hospital in Johannesburg on Sunday, his mother Mé-Lissa Smith told Rekord on Monday.
His family had been tireless in their efforts to get him to a hospital with a burn ICU unit.
Sean was transported by ambulance from George Mukhari, north of Pretoria, where he had spent two weeks, to Milpark.
His mother said a doctor who saw him on his arrival at Milpark discovered his left lung had collapsed but could not say if this had happened during or before his transfer.
Amoré Jooste, a close family friend, said Sean was immediately put on an oxygen respirator, which was later removed.
Mé-Lissa had, with Jooste’s and the Hero Burn Foundation’s help, pleaded for the best care possible for her son.
Jooste said on Sunday, Sean was able to exchange a few words with his mother for the first time since the accident.
“Everyone was so overjoyed. He just wanted to go home because he didn’t understand what had happened to him and also could not remember,” said Jooste.
Jooste said Sean would be going back to the operating room on Monday to clean the mucus from his lungs and also for wound care.
“This is what we wanted, for him to be here. Thank you very much to everyone who assisted us. We are very grateful for everyone’s prayers.”
Sean sustained third and second degree burns to his upper body and parts of his face when he was helping a woman with her broken down car.
He had spilled oil on his hands and arms and used petrol to remove it then dried himself with his shirt.
When the woman lit a cigarette, Sean’s shirt caught alight.
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