His dad called his mom 'a hero' for doing everything possible to save their son's life immediately after the explosion.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on July 11, 2022. It has since been updated.
Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions and images that readers may find distressing.
Barrett McKim, 12, is known for his love for science. However, the boy from North Carolina was admitted to the hospital with second and third-degree burns after his science experiment exploded at home.
He suffered burns to nearly half of his body after an experiment involving isopropyl alcohol ignited on June 23, 2022, according to WLOS.
Barrett's father, Kyle, shared, "He's burned on about 50 percent of his body, and my understanding is that about 20 percent of those are third-degree and 30 percent are second-degree."
Speaking about the explosion, Kyle shared that the science experiment involved a Bunsen burner, a tool commonly used in labs. "Alcohol was in the mix," he explained. "Somehow in that process, that got ignited and kind of blew up and back into his face. While the protective glasses he was wearing helped with his safety, Kyle shared that Barrett "was wearing a synthetic shirt, which ended up being a real contributor in the fire staying and trying to get that off as it kind of melted away with the accelerant on there."
His mom, Caroline, also sustained injuries from the science experiment gone wrong. She reportedly kept spraying water on Barrett until emergency services arrived at their Highlands home, per a GoFundMe campaign.
"Barrett has a love for science and has performed many experiments," the boy's uncle, Stephen Schlautman, wrote on the donation page. "He is known for being cautious, as evidenced by the goggles he was wearing while performing the experiment."
Schlautman then revealed that Barrett was airlifted to a burn center in Augusta, where he was expected to undergo "many surgeries involving skin grafts."
"Caroline has an equally daunting prognosis," Schlautman wrote. "The hospital will be home for Barrett and his parents for weeks, if not months!! Praying that the Lord will continue to heal skin…and that all will be amazed by a healing that is beyond what they think is humanly possible."
Schlautman later shared an update that said the young boy underwent his fifth surgery on July 9, 2022.
Kyle called his wife a "hero" for doing everything possible to save their son's life immediately after the explosion. "Caroline, although she's yet to believe it, is a hero," he said, "and I think a lot of the reason Barrett is alive."
An update on the fundraising page stated that, "We are still moving in the right direction, it is just a lengthy process."
Hopefully, the brave boy makes a full recovery soon and gets back to learning a lot more about science.
References:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/fzx72a-support-for-barrett-mckim?
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe | Support for Barrett McKim
