Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
From Team Deane:
On July 24th Deane was badly burned while starting a campfire at home. He was brought to BMC, and then airlifted by helicopter to Mass General Hospital. He is currently in their Sumner M. Redstone Burn Center, receiving the most effective and innovative treatments for patients with thermal injuries. Deane has 2nd degree burns covering 70% of his body, with 3rd degree burns in several places. Rachel has been traveling back and forth to Boston from the Berkshires to be with him.
We are starting this GoFundMe campaign to raise money that will help offset Deane's medical expenses, Rachel's travel and accommodations to visit him, and help repair their damaged property.
Deane has a long road to recovery ahead of him. Many months of treatment and rehabilitation are in store. Rachel knows that Deane is going to make a full recovery, and resume the life that he was so vibrantly living when this event occurred. She hopes to welcome him home for his birthday on December 24th. With the exceptional care that he is receiving at MGH, and the fact that Deane is such a fighter, Rachel is confident that this will be possible. _____
From Rachel:
Hi all, I need to tell the story of Deane on his behalf, and let everyone know what he did.
While the way the fire started was a freak accident, Deane risking his life to minimize the damaging explosion was no accident.
Deane selflessly put himself in harm's way to make sure that no one else was hurt. He put his hands in the flames of the burning gas canister and dispersed the gas on the lawn preventing a significantly larger explosion which would have cost lives and even greater property and environmental damage.
He didn't hesitate and he didn't run.
He is not the victim of a tragic accident.
He is my superhero.
He saved my life.
He saved our dog, our friends, our home, the forest beside it, and the neighbors' homes. In doing so, he got gas all over him and was then in flames. His sacrifice spared us a much more devastating outcome all at his own cost.
Once we were able to put the fire out that was all over his body, he got up and tried to help put the rest of the fire out. His clothes had been burned off him, his body was very badly burned, and he was definitely in shock. The whole time he kept saying to me, "I'm so sorry baby. I love you so much. I'm sorry baby, are you OK? I love you so much."
He is amazing and he is the strongest person I've ever met. He is in the care of the best burn center in the world. And he is fighting. Please continue to send prayers, good thoughts or whatever other positivity you're inspired to send to him. We could use it and are immensely grateful for any and all of your support.
