One Charlottesville mother is struggling to recover after being “engulfed in flames” from a sanding accident. On Sept. 10, Charlie Anna Xavier was busy sanding down a table at her family’s brewery when she suddenly caught fire. According to the GoFundMe page organized by friends to help pay for her medical expenses, Xavier “dropped the sander…and the next thing she knew she was engulfed in flames.” Xavier was then flown to VCU burn clinic, where doctors confirmed “that she had suffered third-degree burns over 85% of her body.”
When local reporters spoke to Xavier’s husband André, he said that the family currently in a frightening situation.
“The scary part is the recovery, because it’ll be years, years, years,” he said. “You have to learn everything from talking to eating to everything.”
As of Thursday afternoon, the family’s GoFundMe page has raised over $98,200, nearly reaching their goal of $100,000.
“We are so thankful and so humbled that Charlie Anne is still with us, however we are now needed to step forward as a community to help shoulder the burden of expenses for her care and recovery, and to provide for the needs of her family in her absence,” reads a message on the GoFundMe.
“Charlie is a powerhouse. She’s the girl cheering the loudest, smiling the brightest, and laughing non-stop,” the message continues. “She’s a wife and a mother to two beautiful boys – a four-year-old and nine-month-old. She will heal and come home, and it’s our privilege to serve her now.”
In addition to the GoFundMe page, André has been posting constant updates on his wife’s conditions via the Facebook Group, “Cheering on Charlie.”
On Wednesday, he posted about her condition after she underwent an 11th round of surgery.
“Charlie recovery is just starting but it has been a good start,” he wrote. He also added how her doctors are very impressed with her healing so far, and that they have spotted no signs of infection so far.
“…Even though I can’t even fathom the idea of her current pain, she has not complained once! I don’t have words to explain how incredible this is for me, the ability to suffer in silence it is something reserved for incredible souls and Charlie is an incredible human being and soul!” he wrote. “I can confidently say, that my love for her has grown and shifted since the accident, I feel like my love now is almost a form of devotion, I have accepted this new role that has been assigned to me on our new life! I am devoted to take care of my beautiful wife and soul mate and our two adorable little boys.”
