A St. Charles teen who was badly burned late this past summer is back home after spending a month and a half at SickKids Hospital in Toronto.
Nick Pilote's mom, Angela Pilote, said the 14-year-old was discharged from hospital last week, but must still return to SickKids weekly for medical appointments.
On Sept. 1, the teen was fixing his dirt bike in the garage at his family's home, and it caught fire.
Nick realized the fire was spreading from the bike to the rest of the garage, so tried to pull the bike out of the garage. He slipped and fell, the bike fell on top of him, he was saturated in gasoline, and caught fire.
The teen was first taken to Health Science North and then flown to SickKids Hospital in Toronto.
He had burns to 45 per cent of his body, the majority of which were third degree. Most of the burns were to his lower back, left arm and legs.
Nick has had to undergo debridement — the medical removal of dead tissue — and skin grafts.
“It's still a very long recovery because he's been so extensively grafted on his body," said Angela.
“Getting mobile again was a little tough. He's walking and stuff. Things are tight. His body doesn't move the way it used to. But his prognosis for his future — his doctors believe nothing should hold him back for anything he'd like to do.”
Nick was supposed to start Grade 9 at St. Charles Catholic Secondary School just days after his accident.
While he hasn't been able to do any school work so far this fall because he's been so heavily medicated, Angela said she hopes her son will be able to go back to school for half-days soon.
Nick did go to St. Charles last week for a visit.
“He wasn't in a very good spot mentally for awhile, being such an active kid before the accident and with all his friends all the time,” Angela said.
“Being away for almost two months, it was hard on him. After seeing all his friends and everything, it gave me a glimpse of my boy from before. It really, really helped him a lot.”
Angela said she'd like to thank all those who have stepped up to help her family over the past two months.
“We got just a tremendous outpouring of help, financially, mentally, with everything,” she said.
That includes those who have raised funds to cover the family's expenses — a GoFundMe campaign raised $8,675, and there were other fundraisers throughout Northern Ontario.
Friends took in the Pilotes' younger son, Vincent, when his parents needed to be with Nick in Toronto. Family members took care of their pets.
The health-care workers at Health Sciences North and at SickKids Hospital couldn't have been more caring, Pilote said. And her family was able to stay at Ronald McDonald House for the majority of their time in Toronto.
“If I could tell anyone who donates anywhere, that would be the place,” Angela said. “People think it's just a bed for them to sleep in, but it's a home away from home.”
