Update on Burn Victims in Augusta

More than two months after the Imperial Sugar explosion, and many victims continue to recover. For many of them-- that has meant days, weeks, even months at the burn center in Augusta.
 
Tuesday, the burn center gave us an inside look at what's being done to help these patients get better, and a chance to speak with some of the family members to see how they are holding up. While it’s been a difficult two months the familly members and doctors we spoke with say they remain optimistic and while it's slow going the patients are showing improvement.
 
Prayers, faith, and friends are what families of the sugar refinery burn victims say are just some the many things helping them get through such a tough time.
 
For Karen Seckinger it’s been a long two months. Her son Paul was burned on 80 percent of his body in the explosion. He's still in critical condition but Karen says he's getting better everyday.
 
“When I went in this morning he was wide awake and I talked to him. I talked to him from the door because they had him unwrapped and I told him everything was alright and they told me they Amy sit him in a chair today so that is a big move.”
 
Still on ventilator, they recently cut that back by 35 percent. Something that may seem like a small step to some, but a step that is significant for patients with such severe burns. Another sign that progress is being made.
 
“We continue to work on the ones in the burn unit they have severe burns and they continue to require areas that need to be skin grafted but they are slowly improving.”
 
Justin Purnell who was burned on 60 percent of his body recently made a big move, out of critical care and to the rehab unit.
 
“He seems pretty determined to make everything work like it did before.”
 
Jennie says he still has a long way to go but that he's in good spirits.
 
“My dad actually wheeled him around to see Paul for the first time and Paul waved at him.”
 
Jenny says Justin told her Paul needs to come up to rehab and play with him.
 
“I told Paul it was so scary for them that we think they should hunt fish for a while.”
 
Jenny says she's anxious for things to get back to normal.
 
The doctors say they have no timetable in terms of how much longer it will take for all of the patients to recover but they say they are in it for the long haul and that for many of them it could be several years.
 
Wednesday night on News 3 at Six, we’ll have more on the rehab unit, and we'll hear from one rehab patient who knows how difficult it is to move to the rehab stage of recovery.