MOULTRIE, Ga. – Levi Burkett, the son of Jessica and David Burkett, is still recovering from second- and third-degree burns after being trapped while fleeing a house fire in Doerun last month.
The fire occurred Wednesday morning, Dec. 21, while Levi was sleeping over at his sister’s house on Peachtree Street in Doerun. Levi was the only person injured.
Levi received his third surgery Tuesday and completed his second week of treatment at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta Wednesday.
“He’s going to be here for about three more weeks. After his second surgery, they realized his burns progressed to the third degree so he had to have a lot of skin grafting done this past week,” his mother said by phone Thursday.
A skin graft is a surgical procedure where a piece of skin is transplanted from one area to another.
Jessica Burkett explained that Levi’s skin from both his thighs and bottom was used to cover his back, the back of his arm and the back of his left leg. The doctors warned that he would experience severe pain Friday due to the major skin grafts.
“We’re dreading tomorrow, but he’s on a morphine pump right now. They had to give him two pints of blood today because he did lose a lot of blood during surgery. They gave him blood during the surgery but it still wasn’t enough so they gave him two more pints today,” she explained.
Levi’s physical treatment is just only one part of his recovery.
“He’s had some problems with just reliving it. He has his moments when he breaks down, but he also has good moments when family comes and he gets to Facetime people. It’s just hard for an 8-year-old to be in the hospital for already two weeks now,” his mother said.
His spirits were lifted after receiving a Facetime call from his class earlier this week. Since Levi’s previous surgery, he has been bed-bound.
“That made his day yesterday. … Them calling him was really nice. He smiled and he was happy because he can’t get up right now,” she said.
Community members across the county previously started a GoFundMe account, named “Love for Levi,” to help assist his medical needs. Only one family member is allowed overnight stay with Levi at the hospital so the funds will also help their daily living expenses.
“Neither one of us is working or has any vacation time, so every penny counts because it gets expensive,” Jessica Burkett explained.
A trailer raffle fundraiser will start this weekend for the family. A single ticket can be purchased for $10 and a batch of 12 tickets costs $100. They can be purchased at Parts City Auto Parts in Doerun or the Thomasville Toyota dealership’s parts department.
The drawing will be held on Saturday, March 18, at 6 p.m. Interested participants must contact Shane Buckner, Levi’s uncle, at 229-221-6264 or Savannah Singletary, Levi’s sister, at 229-379-7109 for more information.
Levi is able to now receive care packages, his mother said. The items must be able to be disinfected, so Levi can touch them. Stuffed animals are accepted, but he cannot touch them at this time.
Packages can be sent directly to Levi and must be made out as follows: Levi Burkett Burn ICU Room #3, JMS Burn Center at Doctor’s Hospital, 3651 Wheeler Rd, Augusta, GA 30909, or they can be sent to his family at 430 Wade Road, Pelham, Ga. 31779.
His mother described Levi as a “fighter,” and said he has a long road to recovery that might continue to affect him even as an adult.
Burkett said her daughter and son-in-law, Savannah and Austin Singletary, are living at her residence until they can find another house.
The Singletary Family also has a GoFundMe account, named “Austin and Savannah Singletary — House Fire Fund,” to assist with housing.
“We’re thankful and grateful for everyone that reached out and helped with prayers because that’s helped a long way,” Burkett concluded.