COURTNEY WALDON: It was horrible. It’s the
worst feeling I’ve ever felt in my life. But it’s made me stronger today.
COMM: On September 30th 2016, Courtney Waldon’s
life was changed forever when she was badly burnt in a horrific campfire accident involving gasoline.
COURTNEY WALDON: It happened on September
30th at night. My husband and me were sitting there and the fire went to go. So, he went
to go to put gas on it. The fire shot up and next thing I knew I was engulfed in flames.
When I was in the ambulance, I was sitting there just praying to god, ‘Please, let
me come up to heaven. Please forgive me. Please forgive me.’ Because I honestly thought
that I was dying. 40 % of my body was burnt.
KAREN CASPAR: My reaction when I first saw
Courtney was just devastation. Scott and I both just stood there with tears just rolling
down our cheeks. Her entire face was swollen, her lips were huge and her tongue was so swollen
it was coming out of her mouth. It was just devastating.
COMM: Soon after the accident Courtney and
her husband separated, and she spent 51 days in hospital away from her daughter as she underwent
several painful skin grafts.
CAROLINE WALDON: I missed my mom when she
was gone in the hospital.
COMM: As well as all the surgeries, Courtney
is also undergoing intense physical therapy.
COURTNEY WALDON: I do not have full movement
back in my hands yet. I had to learn how to re-walk. It’s basically like I am a baby again.
JOHN CROWLEY: She was not able to really move
her fingers at all and was just at risk of developing permanent loss of function with her hands.
COURTNEY WALDON: My medical bills are over 2 million right now.
COMM: With increasing medical debts, a daughter
to support and no income, Courtney had no choice but to leave her home. At this point,
Courtney’s community rallied around her and decided to take matters into their own hands.
JON ELLIS: Courtney’s accident was first
brought to me by one of the educators at our church. She approached me at church one day
and asked me had I heard about Courtney’s accident. So, she said there must be something
we can do. And so when we asked those educators or those teachers the question, ‘What does
Courtney need?’ All were in agreement that she needed a house.
MARK BRADLEY: And when I was introduced from
Jon, when they actually asked me about it, I was like, ‘ Absolutely. Let’s do it.’
You know. I have got enough contacts. You have got contacts. We will build this thing
and just hand over her the key once everything is completely done. And she will have a mortgage
free home. Then all of a sudden we start making phone calls and next thing you know we are
out here grading and getting everything done. And Courtney is, you know, just a few months
away from a brand new home.
COMM: Before long, volunteers from all over
the community chipped in to help built Courtney a brand new home free of charge.
COURTNEY WALDON: It’s a little 2 bedrooms, one
and a half bath and it’s just a blessing that, you know, that God shows his light through
everything to say, ‘Hey, I know you went through this, but here’s your reward.’
And so it’s all exciting.
SCOTT CASPAR: It’s great.
KAREN CASPAR: Overwhelmed by the house being
built for Courtney, because I was just devastated when she lost her house in Tallapoosa and
had to move out. I thought, well in her condition she will never may be able to have her own
home again, because I don’t see her ever having the income to buy a house or even to
rent a house. And then all of a sudden, this opened up for her and the community came together
and is building her this house, and I knew that was the only way that she would probably
ever have her own home, was this way and it’s been such a blessing.
SCOTT CASPAR: And you never know how many
people have volunteered their time and money for this, and we are just so grateful.
JON ELLIS: I just believe that through Courtney
and the building of this house, the process is allowing us to do greater things in the
community, from a collaborative effort. You know, our goal here is once we build this
house and Courtney moves in, our goal from here is to build a city of refuge. A place
where single moms, or battered women or children, the homeless would have a refuge to come to.
COMM: Despite all the hurdles, Courtney is
finally beginning to rebuild her life piece by piece.
JOHN CROWLEY: Oh, Courtney’s made great
progress. She is a hard worker and she’s done the therapy that she needed to do. And
as a result, she is getting a great outcome with her hands. Her right hand, mobility is
almost full, and the left hand is coming along nicely too.
KAREN CASPAR: She has a remarkably good attitude
considering all that she has been through. She is such an amazing girl. And she has just
inspired so many people with her strength and courage. And I know she is going to inspire
a lot more of people that’s maybe going through similar situations that needs support.
COURTNEY WALDON: I’ve been managing to get
my life back, I’m just pushing forward every day to make myself better and stronger for
myself and for my daughter.
CAROLINE WALDON: I’m happy my mommy is getting better.