Recovery is daily feat for Lehi boy, family

LEHI — Brennan Christensen was just trying to be helpful when he decided to burn the family's garbage on a summer day in July.

Since the family lives on the outskirts of Lehi, they occasionally burn their garbage, says Debbie Christensen, Brennan's stepmother.

This time, 11-year-old Brennan and his friend, Cody Tripp, 10, were doing the task themselves in burn barrels in the back yard when the fire started to go out.

When Brennan decided to add some gasoline from a plastic cup, the fire flashed. Startled, Brennan jumped back and spilled some of the gas on himself, according to the account Tripp made to Utah County sheriff's deputy Sean Bell.

"We don't know exactly what happened except that he caught on fire," said Debbie Christensen. "He dropped (onto the concrete) and rolled. He did everything he knew, but nothing worked to put the fire out. His friend grabbed the hose. He finally jumped into the pool."

Fortunately, the youngsters in the Christensen family had been filling a small swimming pool nearby as the boys were starting the burn.

"That probably saved him," Debbie Christensen said.

Debbie Christensen, a secretary at Mountainlands Association of Governments, was at work as was her husband Neal, a cable repairman for Quest.

"He walked into the house looking horrible. My two 16-year-olds grabbed him, laid him down and covered him so he wouldn't go into shock," Debbie Christensen said.

Brennan's stepsister called 911 then used a camp manual to see what to do next.

Brennan had third-degree burns over 52 percent of his body, on his arms, his hands, his chest, his stomach, his back and the back of his thighs, burns which have required numerous skin grafts from his legs.

His face was reddened with a second degree burn, but his eyes were OK, and his face will heal.

The real suffering has come from the smoke inhalation that has poisoned a number of internal organs and threatened his life with a blood infection and damage to his pancreas and bowels.

"The smoke inhalation has been a huge deal," said Debbie Christensen. "It's not the burns that have been the problem. They just removed his gall bladder yesterday, because it's damaged, too, because of the smoke inhalation."

"But he's a strong kid. He's handling the pain really well. The hospital staff is just amazed."