The terrible house fire that raged through their home when they were just 17-months-old took the life of their mother, but it also took a piece of triplets Chandra, Trae, and Jordan Berns.
The girls were left with serious burn scars on their backs, chests, arms, and faces.
“They were so bad we didn’t know if they were going to live or not,” their grandmother, Sue Dusek, told ABC News.
The identical triplets thankfully survived but ever since then they have been subjected to the stares of strangers, and not because they look alike.
“We’ve kind of just gotten used to — if people stare,” Chandra told ABC News.
“When you see something different… it’s hard not to look,” Jordan said. “So, you know, we don’t blame anybody for looking or whispering or wondering.”
The girls spent years trying to heal their bodies through numerous surgeries, skin grafts, facial masks and physical therapy.
Growing up with scars had a major impact on the girls’ self-esteem. Unlike other girls their age, they wore heavy makeup and long sleeves to hide their scars.
“If we had a little crush on somebody or, you know, on some guy, you know it would get back to us ‘oh yeah, he thinks you’re pretty but, you know, y you have burns,'” Jordan recalls.
Thankfully, the girls had each other.
“We were blessed to have each other growing up, where you know we could go through challenges together,” Jordan told TODAY. “I know other people don’t have that, so when we shared our story, I think that let a lot of people know ‘Hey, there’s someone else out there like me too.”
Coincidentally, it was another burn survivor’s story that changed the lives of the triplets. They heard about a burn survivor who had a laser treatment therapy and reached out to Dr. Jill Waibel to see if the treatments would benefit them.
Waibel agreed to perform their procedures free of charge. After six treatments, the girls were completely transformed.
Jordan was able to wear a strapless wedding gown to her wedding with a plunging neckline thanks to the surgery.
“It’s a dress that I really never thought I would get to wear growing up with burns,” she told TODAY. “So I really stepped out of my comfort zone, and it’s just amazing.”
The triplets decided to share their story with TODAY in the hopes that other burn victims would learn about the treatment.
Since then, more than 50,000 burn survivors have received this life changing treatment. Learn more about the triplets’ story below.
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