An 82-year-old woman is fighting for her life after suffering third-degree burns over 30% of her body when she fell asleep in a metal chair by a pool in Arizona. Betty Lou Summer was at the Johnson Ranch community pool in San Tan Valley on June 11 when an hour of sunbathing turned into a life-threatening ordeal.
Incident Details
Summer was found unconscious by passers-by, suffering from severe heat stroke and covered in third-degree burns. The burns were not only from the sun but also from any part of her body that touched the metal chair. Her daughter, Michelle Gabbert, told AZ Family: "The whole front of her body, all the way down to basically the muscle and the bone, is burned. And it's significant."
Other guests noticed Summer was unconscious and suffering from a bad sunburn. She was quickly covered in wet towels and moved into the shade before paramedics rushed her to the Valleywise Burn Center. Doctors also diagnosed her with liver and kidney damage and severe shock.
Severity of Injuries
The burns covered approximately 30% of her body. Gabbert told ABC 15: "Her pinky tip, which was touching the metal chair, was completely, the whole tip of it was gone. Anywhere that touched the metal on the chair completely just fried."
Summer, who had only recently retired, was put on a ventilator and dialysis and has already undergone several surgeries to remove burnt and dead skin. Gabbert, who was abroad at the time, said: "We weren't sure she was gonna make it through the night."
Recovery and Warning
Summer is expected to remain in the hospital's burn unit for at least another month and will need several skin grafts once her tissue has recovered sufficiently. Gabbert, a doctor, explained that her mother's advanced age contributed to the severity of her injuries and challenging recovery, as elderly individuals have thinner skin, reduced subcutaneous fat, slower healing, and struggle with temperature regulation.
Gabbert is sharing her mother's ordeal to highlight the risks of sun exposure, urging people to take safety measures such as applying sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and staying hydrated. She told AZ Family: "I would have never in a million years imagined one of my family members having to go through this."
