Not too long ago I sold raffle tickets at a Michigan State University home football game. Walking around hours before the game shouting to alumni, drunk college students, and die hard Spartan fanatics to buy raffle tickets that could win them well over a few thousand dollars or in this case a trip to Vegas could leave you with a few new friends, a shirt covered in booze, or maybe a free hot dog. However, convincing people to take their chances against thousands of other people after the same grand prize they are, can be a challenging task. More than a few times I came across people who said, "C'mon what are my chances of winning...how many other tickets have you and your teammates sold today?" My response was, "Well at least buying a ticket gives you chance rather than having no chance at all."
This week I took a chance, more of a "shot in the dark" attempt, but nevertheless better than no chance at all. For my journalism class I was given the opportunity to write an article on the topic of my choice and I chose to write about bio-engineered skin a.k.a. cloned skin from the very person who needs the new skin whether it be due to skin damage from ulcers or severe burns.
Ya so I could've written about city traffic or green house gases deteriorating our atmosphere, but this topic was one that hit closer to home, a topic that led to me taking that leap of faith, that chance.
Before August 9th, 2010 I didn't know much about burns though I've seen enough embarrassing wife beater tans at the beach in sunny california. I didn't know I'd loose three friends in a car accident while I was at college about to get after the dream we all had of playing our sport in college. And I didn't know I'd be hanging onto daily website updates on how my two other friends in the accident were doing after their latest major surgery, after their amputations, after the removal of their beautiful skin.
John Adams, our athletic trainer was taking the kids who hadn't left for college yet up to a running camp in Mammoth, Ca. Natalie Nield, a track star bound for Loyola Maramount University was driving her mom's Ford Expedition as Drew Delis, a University of San DIego soccer player was sitting in the back seat with Derek Thomas bound for Occidental University for football and his girlfriend of three years, Amanda Post bound for San Louis Obispo for track.
The crash happened on a major freeway heading back towards San Diego from up north when Natalie drifted into the shoulder, corrected and then over corrected too much and sent the Ford flying through the median and slamming into a van carrying around 12 student athletes from California Baptist University who happened to be heading up to the same camp that they just left from. According to reports at the time, the Ford truck burst into flames as other cars swerved to avoid the accident. An off duty officer and his wife saw the accident in their rear view mirror and pulled over to help. They ended up pulling Drew out of the burning car after his foot was stuck for sometime and then helped Derek who was very badly burned. John was knocked unconscious and was air flighted to a burn unit in Reno,NV.
Natalie and Amanda were reported to have passed away at the scene as well as the driver of the other van who only volunteered to take the track team up to Mammoth that weekend. John battled broken ribs, bleeding in his brain, a collapsed lung, broken jaw and teeth as well as smoke inhalation before his family decided after two months he would not want to leave a muted life and would not want to be kept on life support.
This very moment Derek and Drew continue to fight through surgery after surgery. Though Drew and his family are more private about the extent of his injuries, we are just happy right now that he is awake and with us, and continuing to battle through each moment of adversity. Derek has undergone more than 15 surgeries as his body is 85% third degree burned. When he arrived at the hospital doctors gave him a 2% chance of survival, but he continues to battle through each surgery while in a medically induced coma and is reported to stay under for about quite a few months more.
The Encinitas community where we are from, as well as people around the world are rallying for Derek's continued recovery, but that does not come without a mountain of medical bills. The Derek Thomas Recovery Fund will go towards the growing number of medical bills and has received donations from many people as well as restaurants, hair salons, and schools, but after researching the Epicel(cloned skin) procedure which Derek is just starting to receive, this will cost the Thomas family closer to one million dollars and that's not counting the previous surgeries, medications, around the clock care, air flight trip, ect.,ect.,ect.
After finding out the cost of this procedure in researching my paper late last week, I saw a picture of a man in military uniform who looked almost completely burned, and in fact he was burned 97% in a car bombing in Iraq and after over 100 surgeries he lived before passing away during an ordinary cosmetic procedure on his face. In his memory the Merlin's Miracles Foundation was set up to help individuals and their families pay for the costly procedures burned patients face.
On the website I decided it wouldn't hurt to take a chance, to take that "shot in the dark" and hope by some miracle chance I hit a very small target and so I sent a message to the organization about the accident that has taken a forefront in so many of our lives. And this is the message I received back after not expecting a response in the first place:
Molly,
First, I'm very sorry for this tragedy. I found a few stories online
and it's truly devastating.
He definitely has a long fight ahead, but if he's strong, like he
seems to be, and with the obvious support he has, he can do it.
Merlin, the namesake of our organization, was burned 97%, overcame the
therapy and grafts, and LIVED for three years, which had never been
done before.
Another burn victim (40%), J.R. Martinez, is now an actor on All My
Children. I work with him closely. Perhaps one day he can go talk to
Derek. He's done it many times, and really seems to be able to
connect, and explain what might be in store for both him and the
families. And he lives in LA. He's gone much farther -- cross country
- to visit and talk with families and patients.
I'm going to check with our board and see what we might be able to do
money wise. Is there a social worker at the hospital handling
donations? Or an account set up?
Please keep me posted.
Brian
Merlin's Miracles
So today I say, remember to count your blessings and take a chance, take that shot in the dark no matter how slim your odds may be, you just might hit the target.
Molly Cassidy
