The Day Everything Changed
I never imagined my life would change in an instant. But in April 2024, that’s exactly what happened. One moment, I was in my car—just another regular day—and the next, I was fighting for my life in a car fire that left 50% of my body burned. Everything I had built, everything I knew, was suddenly torn apart.
The flames didn’t just leave scars on my body—they tore through my sense of identity, safety, and direction. I woke up in a hospital room, surrounded by beeping machines, bandages, and uncertainty. I didn’t know what the future held… or even if I had one.
Life in the Burn Unit
The hospital became my world. Days blended into nights, filled with surgeries, painful dressing changes, and the quiet agony of waiting. I met some of the most compassionate medical professionals during that time. People who treated me with respect, empathy, and care that reached beyond the physical.
Still, the emotional toll was heavy. I battled fear, trauma, depression, and the question that haunted me: What now? I wasn’t just healing from burns. I was mourning the life I once had—and trying to find purpose in the ashes.
Discharged—But Not Done
Eventually, the day came: I was medically cleared to leave the hospital. But the truth is, I wasn’t ready—not physically, emotionally, or mentally. And like many survivors, I was faced with a harsh reality: there was no clear path forward.
A social worker even suggested I go to a homeless shelter. I called to ask if they could accommodate someone with open wounds, mobility issues, and severe physical needs. The answer? “This isn’t the right place for you.”
That moment—that call—will stay with me forever. I was vulnerable, injured, and still deeply in need of care. And I realized: There’s a gap no one is talking about.
The Spark of an Idea
In that moment of despair, something shifted. I knew I wasn’t alone—there had to be other survivors facing the same situation. And if no one else was going to fix it, I would.
Healing Home Group was born from that gap. From that pain. From the deep conviction that no survivor should be sent into the world without a place to truly heal.
Building the Vision
It started with a vision: A warm, welcoming home. A bed. A kitchen. A garden. A place to breathe, to cry, to laugh, to begin again. I didn’t want a facility—I wanted to build a home. A Healing Home.
With the help of my mom, friends, and an incredible support network—including my best friend named Jasper—I began the work. Paperwork, nonprofit filings, EINs, web domains, outreach emails… it wasn’t glamorous. But it was sacred. Every step felt like laying a brick in a foundation built on purpose.
The First Home—and the Future
Our first Healing Home will be in Colorado, where my own healing began. But this is only the start. We’re actively partnering with hotels to provide temporary housing for survivors until the home is built. And beyond that, we envision a Healing Home in every state with a burn unit—because every survivor deserves this safety. Every family deserves to stay close to their loved one without worrying about where to sleep.
Healing Home Group is more than a mission. It’s a movement.
Lighting the Way
Healing Home Group isn’t just a nonprofit—it’s a promise. A promise that your story doesn’t end at discharge. In fact, that’s where it truly begins.
To every survivor out there: we see you. We believe in your healing. And we’re here to walk beside you as you rest, rebuild, and rise.
The fire may have changed our lives—but now, we’re turning that fire into a foundation.
And we’ll be right here to light the way.
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