This story is part three in a three-part series commemorating the Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour crash in Sacramento in 1972, and the subsequent nationally recognized burn center expertise that resulted from the tragedy.
Part one: Fiery crash 50 years ago spurs today's world-class burn care
Part two: Advances in burn care after deadly plane crash lead to better survival rates
(SACRAMENTO)
Rayne Carr doesn't remember much about July 4, 2012. They were five years old that day – the day they ended up with third-degree burns due to a sparkler accident.
"I remember my father handed me the sparkler. One of the sparks hit my hand, so I dropped it on the ground. Then I looked down and saw my skirt was engulfed in flames," said Carr, who's now 16 and uses nonbinary he/they pronouns.
Holly and Leon Carr had taken every precaution to keep their child safe while using fireworks. The hose and a bucket of water were at the ready. But when Rayne noticed their skirt "lit up faster than tissue paper," Carr's parents trusted their instincts.
"I immediately jumped on top of Rayne," Holly Carr explained. "If we hadn't been taught to stop, drop and roll as kids, we probably would have panicked."
Panic and fear might also have continued for the Carrs, were it not for the incredible medical team that cared for Rayne at Shriners Children's Northern California and the support programs offered by the Firefighters Burn Institute in Sacramento.
The renowned Shriner's burn care team and the burn institute were both created as a direct result of a tragedy that rocked Sacramento 50 years ago this week – the plane crash into Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, which killed 22 people and injured many more.
For decades, patients and their families have benefitted from the world-class burn care and support.
"As a parent watching your child struggle with uncontrollable pain, I was trying to find any support system that I could for them and me," Holly Carr said. "I was excited for Rayne to know they were not the only one."
The next summer, Rayne Carr attended the institute's Firefighters Kids Camp, a six-day action-packed camp for young burn survivors, and has attended every year since.
"I was so excited to just be around other kids who knew what it was like and that we could do what we wanted without the fear of being judged," Rayne said.
From heartbreak springs support and hope
Burn survivor camps, the Firefighters Burn Institute and the world-class burn care in the Sacramento region would likely not be a reality had it not been for the 1972 plane crash that devastated the community That's when a jet attempting to take off (link to story one) from Sacramento Executive Airport crashed into a crowded Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor
The catastrophic event prompted Sacramento Fire Capt. Cliff Haskell to create a foundation that raised money to establish the institute and the burn center at UC Davis Health. Then 23 years later, Shriners Children's launched a pediatric burn unit across the street.
"From the ashes, we realized that, as firefighters, we do what we can while we're there and then figure out how can we do something better," explained Joe Pick, executive director of the Firefighters Burn Institute. "That opened up all the doors for our programs for kids and other support groups so we could connect with this community."
Healing for survivors and their families
Colleen Gonzalez says when she learned that her 18-year-old son Gabriel was severely burned in a firepit accident last year, "it's the worst call you get." While the care team at the Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center at UC Davis Medical Center mapped out his six weeks of physical recovery, she turned to support groups that help survivors and their caregivers deal with emotional healing.
"This is like a marathon you're running. Even when he got home, we were still running that marathon," Gonzalez said. "The group has taught me I'm not the only one. And that, yes, it's going to be different, but we don't have to stop living."
When the family considered taking a Hawaiian vacation just 10 months after Gabriel left the hospital, she relied on those resources, once again, to make sure they were doing the right thing.
"After talking with them I felt better about going on the trip," Gonzalez explained. "Not that I wish this upon anyone, but having UC Davis and the Firefighters Burn Institute, it's just a blessing to have it in our backyard."
The institute and its support resources have earned a national reputation for providing critical services to survivors and families. This includes weekly meetings ranging from half-hour lunch bunch gatherings to hour-long discussions with health care professionals. There's even a session devoted to yoga and mindfulness.
The institute is also a Phoenix Society SOAR-designated facility, recognized for providing peer support and mentoring for burn survivors.
