Dad, 33, disfigured by horrific burns after pouring gasoline onto barbecue at friend’s party
A 33-YEAR-old dad was disfigured by horrific burns after mistakenly pouring gasoline onto a barbecue at a friend’s party.
Charles Dittler felt like he was “burning alive” during the accident, which left him in a medically induced coma for two weeks.
The dad-of-one suffered third-degree burns to his face, arms and torso in the January 18 incident, Metro reported.
Charles, of Shevreport, Louisiana, told the news outlet: “I was at my ex-girlfriend’s house with some friends and we were hanging out around a fire in the backyard.
“The fire was dying out and I had filled up a can of diesel earlier that day so wanted to use it to liven up the fire.
“But I picked up a can full of gas instead and I had no idea it was not diesel.”
He said there was no time to react once he starting pouring and recalled the gas blowing up in his hand, exploding, and pushing him to the ground.
“I started rolling around and screaming ‘I’m on fire someone put me out!’ It felt like my body was burning from the inside.
“I thought I was going to die there and then. I was burning alive,” Charles explained.
His ex-girlfriend’s dad, Darry Wright, came to Charles’ rescue with a fire extinguisher.
Charles, who happened to be wearing fire-retardant work pants, was on fire for approximately 10 seconds, according to Metro.
“He saved my life and I owe him a lot,” Charles said of Darry.
Immediately after the accident, he was airlifted to Ochsner Medical Centre, Louisiana.
Charles had to undergo physiotherapy and 16 surgeries, including multiple skin grafts and reconstructive work.
Doctors used skin from his thigh and shoulder to repair his eyelids and neck.
The also reconstructed his chin with arteries and tissue from his arm.
A GoFundMe, created two years ago to help with Charles’ rehab and personal bills, has since raised nearly $12,000.
“My brother’s physical appearance was changed forever that day,” the fundraiser’s organizer, Brandon Edwards wrote.
Despite his altered looks, Charles is proud of who he’s become.
“I want to use my experience to give other people hope and to ask other people to accept who they are.
“In a way I am glad it happened because it means I can have a positive impact on other people and make a difference,” Charles told Metro.
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He now talks on a local radio station for “Motivational Mondays” and aspires to visit schools in the future to discuss fire safety.
Charles has also designed “Pain to Purpose” T-shirts, which he sells online and recommends others to wear if they’ve experienced pain in the past.
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