Marley Strawn

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The evening of September 28, 2021 Marley was burned very badly over 50% of her body including her face, ears, neck, chest, back, and ankles. She was taken to Mat-Su Regional from where she was flown to Anchorage international via helicopter. She was then transported by leer jet to Harborview Medical Center Pediatric Burn Intensive Care Unit (BPICU). Kelly and I flew down to Seattle on the first available commercial flight and have been by Marley’s side ever since.  Now, three days later, Marley is past the resuscitative phase and we are starting the long healing process. Yesterday (October 1) the doctors attached an allograft over her left arm and chest. This protective layer of skin came from a deceased organ donor and will protect Marley’s skin while her wounds mature. If the wounds do not get worse, the skin may stay on permanently. More likely, however, is that her wounds will continue to progress and she will have that layer removed and her own skin from the un-burned parts of her body will be grafted permanently. She is scheduled for a similar type surgery on Monday, October 4. The big news today is that she will be extubated this afternoon. This will be the first time she will have talked since that fateful night. The breathing tube has been a major source of discomfort and frustration.

My heart goes out to Marley’s boyfriend Magnus who sustained severe burns on his hands and arms from his efforts to put out the flames that engulfed Marley. Magnus is on a parallel journey of pain and healing as he recovers at the AKNative Medical Hospital in Anchorage. Magnus is like a son to me and Marley is madly in love with him.

Words cannot express how thankful Kelly and I are to everyone who reached out with kind words, all the thoughts and prayers, care packages, fundraisers, everything. The outpouring of support has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you so much and I will keep you posted in the months to come.

-Alex