Every month, we introduce someone Jack's Helping Hand has assisted so you can hear about the wonderful people that we help in our community. This month we would like you to meet Alivia!
On the afternoon of July 7th, Alivia, her big brother, and her mother arrived at Montana De Oro for a picnic on the beach. This is where Alivia walked into an illegal, make-shift fire pit that someone simply covered with sand and didn’t extinguish with water. This left the fire smoldering hot, yet invisible to others. Alivia was taken to Sierra Vista Hospital and then transferred to the Grossman Burn Center at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, where her parents learned that she suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on both of her feet. She had surgery to have xenografts placed on her burns and received daily treatment for the next week. She is recovering at home now, walking again and trying to resume her normal life. She continues to travel to Bakersfield for treatment, and Jack's Helping Hand is so happy to assist the Gonzales family in the midst of this difficult time. Alivia was just cleared to go back to school, wear shoes, and start up her dance classes again!
The Gonzales family is taking this challenge as an opportunity to advocate against illegal bonfires to ensure this doesn't happen to any other families. Anyone setting a bonfire should take the following steps to extinguish it completely: Drown with water, stir ashes, repeat until cool to touch, leave uncovered! Thank you to the Gonzales family for spreading this awareness and sharing Alivia’s story with us!
- Kaycee Gonzales
