In September of 2016, 27-year-old mother Courtney Waldon was involved in a tragic campfire accident.
Her husband had poured gas onto their campfire, which splashed up and covered Waldon in flames that left over 40% of her face and body covered in burns.
Waldon was forced to undergo seven surgeries and multiple skin grafts, eventually spending 51 days in the ICU Burn Unit. Her doctor estimates that she will require twelve more surgeries over the course of the next two years.
When Courtney was finally released from the hospital, her reunion with her family was short-lived. Her husband left her and her four-year-old daughter, Caroline, after only two weeks. Courtney, whose hands were severely and potentially permanently injured, was left with no means of income for her family.
Unable to pay her medical bills, she and Caroline were eventually forced to leave their home. Homeless and permanently injured, things were looking like they couldn’t get any worse for Courtney and Caroline.
But it’s always darkest before the dawn. When Courtney’s community and local church learned of her condition, they decided to help.
They’ve banded together to raise money to build a house for Courtney and her daughter.
“Courtney’s accident was first brought to me by one of the educators of our church. She approached me at church one day and said had I heard about Courtney’s accident? So she said there must be something we can do,” said John Ellis, the pastor at Courtney’s church. “When we asked those educators, those teachers the question, ‘What does Courtney need?’ all of them were in agreement that she needed a house.”
“When I was introduced… I was actually like absolutely,” said contractor Mark Bradley. “I’ve got enough contacts, you’ve got contacts, we’ll build this thing and just hand over to her the keys once everything’s completely done. And she’ll have a mortgage-free home.”
“And then all the sudden we start making phone calls and next thing you know we’re out here great, getting everything done, and Courtney’s just a few months away from a new home.”
Volunteers from all over Courtney’s community have worked together to make her new home a reality.
“It’s a little two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath,” says Courtney, as she walks through the construction zone that will soon be her new home. “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.”
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
