By Libby Cluett
lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com

MILLSAP – What his father calls a freak accident with a ground-type firecracker ended up sending 15-year-old Millsap resident Justin Cohron to the Parkland Burn ICU by helicopter about two weeks ago with third-degree burns over about 28 percent of his body.

It all happened when Justin and his sister were outside and he lit a “flower ground bloom” – a type of firework that spins on the ground until it goes out and changes colors about three times, according to his father, David Cohron.

Cohron said he thinks Justin got a little too close and a spark touched his cotton T-shirt, igniting it and Justin perhaps didn’t think to “stop, drop and roll.”

“He came inside and I tried to roll him but his shirt was flaming out too much. Then I ripped the shirt off of him,” he said.

Cohron said his girlfriend is a certified emergency medical technician and “wrapped Justin with wet towels to keep the burns from going deeper.”

“My daughter grabbed the dog’s water bowl and threw it on Justin,” he said of an attempt to help extinguish the flames.

Justin was taken by helicopter to Parkland Hospital’s burn unit, where he continues to be treated for third-degree burns – including skin graft surgeries – from his waist to his neck, according to his father.

Just two people at a time can visit Justin in the ICU and they wear a mask, gloves, gown and hairnet.

“I would have never thought something like that would happen with one of those [firecrackers],” said Cohron.

Justin’s mother, Carrie Cohron, said that her son, who had a head injury as an infant, is well known around the town and at school. “He’s like the town’s little angel,” she said.

“He’s been through so much since he was a baby,” she said, explaining that Justin’s head injury resulted from a car wreck when he was 4 months old. At 5 months, he had to have brain surgery.

She said he’s a little slow in growth and development from this and he continues to take speech and occupational therapy and has a seizure disorder.

“He has a lot of setbacks … he’s had a really rough road,” she said. Cohron said that when he was an infant doctors prepared Justin’s parents to take home “a vegetable. They said he wouldn’t walk, would have to eat through a straw and would be partially blind and deaf.”

But she said Justin does all of those functions fine.

“He’s very determined to overcome goals and tasks set for him. He’s very strong willed. He tells doctors and nurses, when they are working on him, how nice they are and he says, ‘Ya’ll be careful with me.’

“He takes it in stride and sucks through the pain. He’s very concerned about others,” she said.

David Cohron said Justin had his second of a possible three graft surgeries Monday and on Wednesday, doctors took out his breathing tube for the second time.

His mom said that nurses clean Justin’s wounds twice a day and he gets physical therapy, mainly to move his legs.

“I see him getting through this. It’ll be a long road. He’s patient through therapy sessions,” she said.

According to Carrie Cohron, doctors expect Justin to stay at Parkland for a couple of months.

“That all depends on how well he heals,” she said.

Although she wasn’t burned, Justin’s 9-year-old sister, Kayla, was also affected by the fire. Her parents said she started improving recently after seeing Justin in the hospital, and “knowing that he’s really in that room,” said Cohron.

“Since she’s seen [her brother], she’s doing a lot better because the last time she saw him, he was on fire,” said David Cohron.

Cohron also sustained burns to both of his hands when he ripped off Justin’s shirt. These injuries have kept the salt water truck driver from working over the past two weeks because his hands are too tender to wear gloves.

Family members are not allowed to stay overnight at Parkland, so they take shifts, visiting Justin anywhere between about 7-8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and returning home.

Meanwhile, the Millsap community is thinking about Justin and his family.

“Justin has gone to Millsap his entire [school career] – he was a freshman last year and a very active and involved member of our student body,” said Millsap High School Principal Darla Henry.

“He is well loved by teachers, students and staff. Anybody who has ever met Justin loves Justin. He’s a neat kid who’s happy and has a great sense of humor,” she said.

Justin’s Millsap ISD community is trying to raise funds to help his family with transportation costs and added expenses. Henry said that it has been especially hard since Justin’s father cannot work and the family cannot stay over at Parkland Hospital.

She said that those wanting to donate can make contributions in Justin’s name at First National Bank of Santo, Millsap branch, which is located at 107 Fannin (just north of the Millsap Post Office). For more information contact Henry at (940) 682-3180 or visit www.millsapisd.net.