MIAMI (WSVN) - Two survivors who were treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Miami Burn Center are sharing their stories during the Burn Safety Festival.
The center, along with City of Miami Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, is hosting the event to raise awareness about burn safety and prevention.
On Wednesday morning, Karen Hunter-Jackson and Josue Moreno came together to share their remarkable survival stories.
Moreno was electrocuted in Honduras back in 2012.
“I got flown from Honduras to Jackson,” said Moreno. “I was in a coma for a month, and I burned 37% of my body. I lost both of my hands and my right leg.”
Hunter-Jackson suffered burns to her legs and right arm after a speeding motorcycle crashed into her car in 2017.
“[I suffered] 30 fourth-degree burns to my legs and second-degree burns to my right arm, which resulted in skin grafts from right below my knee to right before my toes,” said Hunter-Jackson.
Both survivors expressed their gratitude to those at Jackson’s Miami Burn Center who took care of them.
“In the two months I spent here I became family with most of the doctors, nurses, techs, rehab and occupational therapists, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience under those circumstances,” said Hunter-Jackson.
Moreno said he suffered from depression after the incident but was able to fight through it and discover a new passion.
“Right now I’m para-athlete. I’m doing triathlons, and I’m training for the Paralympics,” said Moreno. “I’m very thankful to Jackson because they gave me a second chance in life.”
During the Burn Safety Festival, Hunter-Jackson also explained the prevention tips she remembered after the crash.
“Stop, drop and roll was the first thing that came back that I learned in fire awareness in grade school,” said Hunter-Jackson.
Fire officials hope attendees at the festival will learn burn tips that’ll help save lives.
“As good as the team is at taking care of burn injuries, the best thing, of course, is to prevent it from happening at all,” said Miami Burn Center Medical Director Dr. Louis Pisano.
According to the American Burn Association, more than 450,000 people are treated for serious burn injuries across the U.S. every year.
Hundreds of victims are treated at the Miami Burn Center yearly.
National Burn Awareness Week continues through Saturday.
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