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To Whom It May concern; I would like to Thank you for all that you did for my grandson David. David was burned while playing with a friend. They were playing with a gas can that we used to fill our lawnmower with. They were playing with the gas can and matches, when the fumes caught, and the gas can exploded, David was on fire, and in the moment of panic he ran. One of the other boys he was playing with knocked him down and made him roll over until the flames were extinguished. By running he actually fueled the flames, which caused him to be burned more. He was very lucky that the other children reacted so quickly. They were all great about helping to get him to stay down, and to get the ambulance for him. David spent a lot of time in the hospital going through several nights of pain, and during the days they would have to scrape his wounds, which made him cry from the pain. I felt so helpless, and at first most of his friends came to visit him. Then as time went on they had to get back to their own lives and David was left to recover mostly by himself. I know that I could not give David all the help that he really needed. I am so thankful that one of his nurses gave me your number. You were able to tell me what to expect, and how to help David through this far. He really looks forward to the time when he gets to come to Camp Phoenix. I remember how he was when he came home after his first year at camp. He was so excited, and was telling his Grandpa and I how good it was to be at camp where there were other kids that had been burned, and that some of them were even worse burned than he was. He told us about another boy that had burns like his, but he was not burned by gasoline, he was in a car fire. He told us about how his new friend had told him that they were burned for a reason, and that they needed to share their stories with other burn survivors and other people. He told us about how at the camp fire everyone shares their stories about how they were burned, and they talk about how it makes them feel and how to react when others stare at you or call you names. He told us about how he learned that it is not what is on the outside that really counts; that who I am on the inside is what is really important. It has helped his Grandpa and I to use those statements during the year when he gets down, and starts letting his friends get to him by calling him names. David also appreciates the fact that he can call the 1-800 number anytime he needs to talk to someone, which is very helpful after a difficult day in school, or after one of his sports events. It was very helpful to know that he should continue to be involved in his after school activities. David loved to play basketball before he got burned, and it is good to know that we as his guardians (Grandparents) should not keep him out of that because of his burns. We have no way of ever repaying you all for all the wonderful things that you have provided for David, from the Camp experience to the many hours of counseling, and all the encouragement you have given David; to the clothing and gasoline vouchers you have provided for him. He enjoys most the sponsorship for him to ride his motorbike in competition for two years in a row. It both kept him busy and it kept him active in something he really liked to do, and we would not have been able to provide that for him without your help. It also was a way to have him use his hands more, both riding the bike, and repairing it. He was responsible for taking care of the bike. As Mr. Mathis pointed out it is very important that he use his fingers and hands to help them to remain mobile, and able to function. Again we can’t thank you and your staff enough for all you have done to help our Grandson David. Graciously,
Bill & Arlene McDonald
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