An 82-year-old woman is fighting for her life after falling asleep while sunbathing in Arizona, suffering third-degree burns that reached down to "the muscle and the bone," her daughter has revealed.
The Incident at Johnson Ranch Community Pool
Betty Lou Summer was at the Johnson Ranch community pool in San Tan Valley on June 11 when just an hour beneath the scorching Arizona sun turned into a life-threatening nightmare after she drifted off to sleep. She was discovered unconscious by passers-by, stricken with severe heat stroke and covered in third-degree burns.
"The whole front of her body, all the way down to basically the muscle and the bone, is burned. And it's significant," Summer's daughter, Michelle Gabbert, told AZ Family.
Temperatures soared to 105°F that day. Other guests noticed the elderly woman was unconscious and suffering from a bad sunburn and called for help. Summer was swiftly wrapped in wet towels and moved into the shade before paramedics rushed her to the Valleywise Burn Center.
Extent of Injuries and Medical Response
At the burn center, doctors also identified liver and kidney damage as well as severe shock. The burns, covering roughly 30% of her body, were not solely caused by the sun, but also by areas of her body that had been in direct contact with the metal chair, reports the Daily Star.
"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," Gabbert told ABC 15.
Summer, who had only recently retired, was placed on a ventilator and dialysis and has already undergone multiple operations to remove the burnt and dead skin. She is anticipated to remain in the hospital's burns unit for at least another month and will require multiple skin grafts over the coming weeks once her tissue has sufficiently recovered.
Impact of Age on Recovery
Gabbert, who works as a doctor, explained that her mother's advanced age contributed to both the seriousness of her injuries and her difficult recovery. Older people have thinner skin, less subcutaneous fat, slower healing abilities and difficulties with temperature regulation, according to ABC 15.
"We weren't sure she was gonna make it through the night," said Gabbert, who was overseas at the time.
Raising Awareness
Gabbert is sharing her mother's experience to raise awareness about the dangers of sun exposure, urging anyone heading outdoors to take proper precautions such as applying sun cream, wearing protective clothing and staying adequately hydrated.
"I would have never in a million years imagined one of my family members having to go through this," Gabbert told AZ Family.
