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MOTHER'S DISMAY
I was left in a coma on Mother’s Day after celebrations turned me into a human fireball, then my life got even worse
Susan Power says strangers film her in the street after her accident
MOST mums will be waking up to heartfelt messages or if they’re lucky, breakfast in bed this Mother’s Day.
But for Susan Power the day brings back horrific memories after the day’s celebrations left her in a coma.
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Susan, 49, from Queensland, Australia, was hit by a ball of fire in her friend’s back-garden and she nearly burned to death until her husband put her out.
By miracle, Susan survived but suffered third-degree burns to her arms, neck, chin and face.
She was forced to wear a compression mask on her face for 19 months, and often felt like a ‘freak’ and struggled mentally.
Susan, who owns a dog grooming business, says: “What was meant to be a special time of the year with my kids treating me to breakfast ended up with me in a coma.
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“I nearly lost my life due to a fancy kerosene burner in my friend’s garden. No-one knows the true dangers of them.
“Please, if you have one in your garden, throw it out and keep your family safe.
“I’m lucky to be alive.”
Wholesome plans
In March 2021, Susan, her husband, Wayne, 48, and their children, Lianah, 21, Sinead, 21, and Callum, 18, were looking forward to Mother’s day.
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Susan says: “The afternoon before, I was enjoying a walk with the dogs with Wayne called inviting me over to our friend’s for a quick visit.
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“Although it was Mother’s Day in the morning and I was sure I’d be treated to breakfast in bed, I had time to pop over.
“I quickly nipped home to get changed, said hi to the kids and left to my friend’s.”
Susan, Wayne and their friends sat in the garden with drinks, and 15 minutes later the sun went down.
As it got dark, Susan’s friend lit their tabletop kerosene burner.
Up in flames
Susan says: “She always lit it when we dined outside. It wasn’t like an old-fashioned, camp one. It was fancy, modern and made of glass.
“She ignited it as I sat across from her. But she didn’t realise there was a white flame, and it had been on the night before.
“Suddenly, there was a loud bang and kerosene splashed onto my chest, arms and face.
“I looked down and realised my arms were on fire. Within seconds, the flames spread up my body, up to my chest and face.
“It didn’t feel real, it was like a bad dream. I couldn’t believe it.”
The quick-thinking mum got down on all fours, and attempted ‘stop, drop and roll’ but after desperately rolling on the ground, she wasn’t able to put herself out.
It felt like my body had been dipped in acid
Susan Power
Her husband ripped off her shirt, and tank-top that were engulfed in flames, whilst their friend’s husband put her out with a hose.
Susan says: “I thought I was going to die. I thought of my children.
“Although they put the fire out, it was too late. My skin had melted off everywhere and that was when the pain suddenly hit.
'Everything went black'
“I touched my face and screamed hysterically, feeling how crispy it was.
“It felt like my body had been dipped in acid. Everyone’s shouting became muffled and my vision went blurry. Then everything went black.”
Unbeknown to Susan, paramedics blue-lighted her to the hospital, and she was put into an induced coma on Mother’s day.
She had third degree burns to her arms, neck, chin, and face.
Her husband and children visited her with gifts and cards they’d planned to give her.
They were beside themselves, not knowing if she’d survive.
But two weeks later, by miracle, Susan woke up from the coma, realising she was alive.
Susan says: “I was in a state of despair, and confusion as I didn’t remember being burned.
“It took around 10 days to come around and then, I remembered everything.
“One moment I was sitting at the garden table. The next I’d been hit by a ball of fire.
“I learned how the kids had brought in my cards and gifts on Mother’s day. My daughter Sinead brought in my crystal and stones as I was very spiritual.
“They’d been playing my favourite music and I’d been moving about whilst in the coma.
“My muscles had depleted whilst I was in the coma so I couldn’t walk anymore. I was horrified.
“I couldn’t speak because the fire had affected my airways.
“My face was also wrapped up and I couldn’t see what I looked like.”
Changed forever
Susan discovered surgeons had given her four skin grafts, taken from the other side of her body.
She had to communicate with a whiteboard and pen for weeks, and also underwent rehab learning how to use her hands, arms and walk again.
Susan says: “For weeks, doctors didn’t let me look at myself. When I finally did, I didn’t recognise my face in the mirror.
“I looked like a monster, and sobbed my eyes out. I’d lost my identity.
“Then the doctors told me I had to wear compression garments on my body, including a mask on my face, for at least two years. It was to help flatten my scars.
“I was devastated, wondering what people would think of me.”
After six weeks in hospital, Susan was discharged and returned home to her family.
But wearing a skin-coloured mask, a similar material to Spanx, she was terrified of entering society again.
'I felt like a freak'
Susan says: “I whispered for six months. And after that my voice still wasn’t the same.
“I couldn’t go back to work and dreaded leaving the house.
“Everywhere I went, people stared at me because of my mask. I felt like a freak.
“Then one day, I was dropping Callum off to school when two girls recorded me on Snapchat, sniggering. I’d never felt so humiliated and degraded in all my life.
“Whilst I was in the midst of recovering, my eldest daughter, Lianah, passed away in a car accident.
“I couldn’t wrap my head around why these horrible things were happening to my family.”
In November 2022, Susan finally got her mask off and her scars had healed well.
Now, she has been recovering well, but is still haunted by what she has been through.
Susan says: “I developed severe PTSD and suffered with night terrors. I couldn’t cook on the stove, and would look for exit points in shops and restaurants.
“But I’ve slowly began to recover.
“I’ve been getting laser surgeries on my face and I’m finally starting to see myself in the mirror instead of just my scars. It’s a long road ahead.
“I want to warn families of those fancy kerosene burners, they’re on most tables in people’s back gardens across the world.
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“They’re easily purchased on Amazon and in shops, yet no-one knows how fatal they can be.
“I’ve since spoken to other families whose loved ones have also nearly died from the same ones. Please bin yours if you have one and potentially save yours and your children’s lives.”
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