Car Blast Injures One
By: Cheri Ellis
BSTTWTranslationsOn Thanksgiving morning, November 24, 2005 our lives changed. Fernando and I were woken up by the sounds of the doorbell and car alarms. Though we were groggy, we immediately headed for the door to see what was going on. We found the neighbors on the first floor screaming with looks of terror on their faces. We poked our heads outside to see that my car was completely engulfed in flames. We ran through the house to get everyone out of bed and out of the house before the house caught fire. The fire and police soon arrived. They got the fire under control before it put any serious damage on the house. After they put the fire out and found it safe to go back into the house, they sent us all back in to go back to sleep.
Approximately 8:00 am, four hours after the fire that had scorched my car, we headed outside to get newspapers for the next day's holiday promotions. We decided to remove articles from my car that were not damaged and put them into his car. As I was gathering things from inside my car Fernando called out to me "Cheri!?" with surprise in his voice. I replied "one second." I was one second too late. I heard a pop and then him screaming I turned to see that his clothing was up in flames. I ran to him trying to get him to drop and roll, but by the time I reached him he'd managed to pull his clothing off. Although the flames were still burning his bare skin. I was running back and forth screaming call 911.
The fire department arrived moments later and immediately started tending to the house that was now consumed by flames as well as his car. I stood in the front of the house and did a head count, I suddenly realized Fernando was not there! The firemen were in a tizzy trying to figure which end to attend to first. Without a second thought I covered my face and ran through the thick smoke to find Fernando standing behind the house. His arm, neck and face scorched. I grabbed him and pulled him across the street far enough away from the house to safety. He couldn't see anything.
The ambulance arrived a few minutes later and immediately transported him to Mass General Hospital. I rode in the front with the driver as the EMTs worked on him. I kept reassuring him that he was going to be ok and that I was not going anywhere. As soon as we arrived at the hospital I jumped out of the ambulance to be by his side. He gripped my hand so tight. I held on until they had to separate us to work on him.
Fernando was put immediately put into a medically induced coma. He suffered from 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his face neck and his arm. His eyes were burnt so badly that they were not able to tell if he lost his vision or not. As he fought for his life in the ICU, day in and day out there I was praying for his life to be saved. He is a very strong believer in God. Not too long before this he taught me Psalm 23, which I recited (still do) every night before I went to sleep. I contacted different healers and asked for them all to pray for his life to be saved. I would tell him, though they say he couldn't hear me, he had to pull through because God brought us together for a reason.
As Christmas neared my family and friends kept asking me "What do you want for Christmas?" I would reply, "All I want is my boyfriend out of ICU." My prayers were beginning to be answered as Christmas arrived. Though he was not out of ICU, his health was no longer declining but improving. NEVER BEFORE in my life DID I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER.
When Fernando finally awoke completely out of his coma it was January 1, 2006. He had various skin graft surgeries and is temporary blinded in one eye. I say "temporary" because the doctors' say that, a cornea transplant can fix it. Though we are not sure of the cost that entails in the procedure. He hasn't been able to work and his health insurance is limited.
Fernando was released from the hospital only to have gone back a few months later for more reconstructive surgery. He has been in good spirits and thanks God for sparing his life and giving him another chance.
Below I have listed a couple of links to news reports to from that horrible day that will haunt our lives for a very long time:
A very close friend of his and I have set up a Benefit fund for him. We'd appreciate anything you may donate. Below is the Benefit information:
Please make checks payable to: Cheri Ellis FBO Fernando Araujo
Cheri A. Ellis
FBO Fernando Araujo BenefitP.O. Box 532Malden, MA 02148We Thank You Kindly for Any Amount You May Offer. God Bless!
Cheri Ellis
