Tonight there are major developments in the story we ran last night about the fire that destroyed a home on Elston Kerr Street and left a teenager with second degree burns. We begin with distressing news on that teenager – 13 year old Robert Anthony Lord. He remains in the intensive care unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but is now on life support. His mother Anis Lord told 7NEWS that the doctors had no choice but to place her son now on a life support machine because he is no longer able to breathe on his own.
Robert Anthony Lord was sleeping at his family friend’s house when the two bedroom wooden home was engulfed in flames. The teenager who was sleeping in a back bedroom became trapped and was unable to get out and by the time he was rescued he had already lost consciousness and was on fire. Today Anis Lord is extremely worried about her son’s ability to recover and the family says it will not be until the next several days that they will know if he will be able to survive the massive internal injuries he received especially to his airway.
Jacqueline Godwin,
This must be taking a toll on you and the family seeing your son in this condition. Yesterday you were hoping for the best. Today I understand he had to be put on the life support machine, why?
Anis Lord, Mother of Burn Victim
“Well because the doctor said that his passage ways are damaged and that his lungs are black and he can’t breathe on his own. So that is like he is danger so they are doing as best as they could for him. They are doing everything and all we have to do is pray and hope for the best. So that is the
point we are right now. Right now he is sleeping, he will sleep for about a couple days, and they will tell us what will happen after the three days and if he will be okay or not or what they need to do. Anything more. So right now we are on a full stop.
They just give him anaesthesia to sleep so he can rest his lungs because he is flinging about himself. So he is just sleeping right now.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So his condition is still very critical?
Anis Lord,
“Yes it is very critical. So it is just the best we are hoping for right now.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So not until two days you will know better where your son stands?
Anis Lord,
“Well two or three days.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And the doctors believe it is due to his asthmatic condition, that compounded the problem even more?
Anis Lord,
“Well that and the lot of smoke. He got too much, too much smoke in his system. So yesterday he was breathing but fighting to breathe and he started to suffocate like before day or morning, like say approximately 24 hours and then everything took the turn where he started to can’t breathe and right there the doctor told my husband that he has to put him on the life support.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Are the doctors doing anything to see that he receives further medical attention abroad or they have to wait to see if he will get out of this critical stage first before they even think about having him travelled?
Anis Lord,
“Well they haven’t told us anything about travelling or going anywhere. The doctors say they will try their best with him and see what they can do. That’s all.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And how are the burns?
Anis Lord,
“Well the burns, they are treating it. He says the burns are not the serious problem, he says he can’t breathe on his own.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So there is a possibility his lungs can just collapse?
Anis Lord,
“Well more than likely if it doesn’t get cleared up.
The family tonight is not only appealing for the public to pray for their son Robert Anthony Lord but if you can help them in any other way you can contact the family at telephone numbers 624 – 8870 and 666 – 7121.
