7 News Belize

Burn Victim Returns Home With a Bounce In His Step
posted (February 25, 2019)
It was one of the most remarkable stories we reported last year: 21 year old Grayson Cadle was burnt up in his Mopan Street home by a butane explosion. He was left in a bad way - second and third degree burns to most of his body and in critical condition. Within days, he was flown to a Burn Centre in the US, and 7 months later, Grayson returned to Belize on Saturday - and 7News was at the airport to greet him. Here's what we saw:

Jules Vasquez reporting
When Grayson Cadle was wheeled out of the arrival hall at the PGIA, that seemed about right for a man recovering from second and third degree burns to 75% of his body.

But then when we saw him stand cradling a basketball, and chatting with his friends, we knew that 7 months later, this 22 year old was far from fragile.s

He told us he is just glad to be home:

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"I mean its 7 months I see Belize, so I am just speechless."

Came back speechless because when he left he was unconscious in a critical condition:

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"I didnt even remember leaving Belize, to be honest. The last thing I remember was my mom face in the hospital."

That's after a butane explosion that rocked the Mopan Street neighborhood on July 9th of 2018. The violent explosion happened in his apartment and changed forever the course of this young man's life, and that's why were shocked to hear:

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"I laugh every day about it. Every time I remember it, I laugh. At first I would trip, because I look different, I feel different, but now I just laugh."

And he laughs because it all started with an urgent restroom stop:

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"It's too stupid to make up. Even my nurses laugh when I give them the story, but it's true. Because that evening I had to use the bathroom so bad. As I done from work I was rushing to reach home and you know when you need to use the bathroom really bad, as you close the door you start to strip down - I start strip down and I reach the bathroom door and by the time I flip on the lights - it's just kaboom. I forgot I had to use the bathroom. I just ran."

And as it turns out, that run didn't end until he reached Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Georgia:

Marianne Cadle, Grayson's mother
"Grayson was in one of the top class center in the US. Those people work with Grayson."

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"I mean that burn center they focus on everything. Speech: I couldn't talk for like 3 months, but they got me speaking again. Eating: I had to eat my juice. They had to put thickener in my juice and I had to eat it. No kind of liquid for like 3-4 months. I had to eat through a tube that was running through my nose."

To now, 7 surgeries later when he will return to life as normal, or as normal as possible:

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"I got a second chance in life. I look on it totally different now. first I would be the kind to snap back really quick. But now I think twice before I snap back on anything."

Marianne Cadle, Grayson's mother
"We need to go back to our normal routine. We can't depend on nobody - will all the help, with all the prayers - everybody calling - wants to know about Grayson. All I can say, thank you."

And, right now, this young man is just fine with his appearance:

Grayson Cadle, Burn Victim
"I don't worry about how people looks at me. Before this happened, I sure you see pictures of me first. I still look the same, just couple scars now, nothing else really change. I never really worry about what people have to say - oh he looks different - scarred up. At least I don't look like Freddy Kruger."

The family provided all those pictures and videos.

Grayson now has to wear a compression body suit 23 hours daily - and he cannot go into the sun. He still has a few surgeries to perform for the scarring. He also has to wear a compression mask for which he carries a doctor's certificate so that police don't treat him as a criminal suspect.

He was treated at the JMS Burn Center Unit at Doctors Hospital in Augusta Georgia. They also donated his extensive treatment - the bill for which is in the millions of US dollars. This was arranged through the Burn Victim Mercy Fund in Belize.

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