And while the funeral was held for Vidal late this morning, the other most seriously injured burn victim, 14 year old Damari Tesecum was flown out of the country at 6:00 am.
She is Vidal's niece and was seriously burnt to her legs and body. Doctors had to amputate one of her legs and she could lose the other. Because she was burnt so badly, the KHMH called in Yvette Burks from BERT and the Burn Victim Mercy Fund yesterday to find a burn center for her in the states.
Burks has an ongoing connection with Shriners Children Hospital in Galveston, Texas. They were happy to accept her, but to get her there - Burks had to hire an air ambulance and that's 19 thousand US dollars, which she had to personally pay. She hopes to get it back through charitable contribution to the Burn Victim Fund but that was the last thing on her mind this morning when she saw a 14 year old who'd lost a leg and could lose another, but still had a lot to live for:....
Yvette Burks, Secured Air Ambulance
"The surface area of the burns isn't huge, it's just under 40% but the problem is its electrocution burns so there are very deep and lots of tissue damage, severe tissue damage to the left leg, she actually lost that leg already well above the knee which is very sad and may have to lose even more. The other leg is also in danger because there is very deep damage to that leg as well. She has burns all over her hands, arms and various places. They are the blow-out type of burns, I am optimistic, so I am pretty sure she will make it. The big thing is that she is going to need a lot physical support first to get her healthy and well because we don't know the damage internally from the electric shock and then she is going to need prosthetic limb, emotional support and all the rest of that. She will get all of that there for free, that's a wonderful thing. She is 14 years old, a very beautiful Hispanic girl from San Jose Village and I am sure she will be well because was conscious stable enough when she left this morning and really showed fantastic spirit so I am sure she will be ok as you Jules its get harder and harder and I apologize to the public because I am right there with you, everybody is a chaos and a need and a whatever. The unique thing about this need is that after you find the way to get the family there, everything is free. It's covered, its guaranteed."
Jules Vasquez
"So if I want to help, you need help."
Yvette Burks, Secured Air Ambulance
"Oh God yes. Jules every time I do a child, I'm convinced it's the last one I'll ever be able to do. But God has been good and it's been many years and unfortunately too many children. So we have the Burn Victim Mercy Fund, it's at the Belize Bank, thanks to the Belize support as well. The funds are source directly from that account, you don't give anything to Yvette Burks, you don't give anything directly to the family. If you want to cover the air ambulance cost, pay it in there, it doesn't matter if its $5, $10, $200 or $20,000 it goes to that fund."
The Rotary will contribute four thousand dollars to the cause, and you are encouraged to do the same at Belize Bank account number 695-11-521-11.
Now there are two other burn victims in the same mishap. 36 year old Rosaura MAI received burns to her hands, left foot and back and is recovering at the Northern Regional Hospital.
The eleven year old girl who tried to assist by pulling them off the charged pipe received only minor burns to the fingers on her right hand.
BEL issued a safety notice reminding the public to maintain a minimum clearance of 7.5 feet horizontally and 13.5 feet vertically away from all power lines. The advisory also warns that just coming close to power lines, can cause a potentially fatal shock.
