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JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — A man who arrived at the Mississippi Burn Center in late 2025 with burns covering nearly 100% of his body has survived, thanks to cutting-edge treatments and support from medical professionals.
“The total body area was 96 percent. He had some skin on the bottom of his foot and one armpit,” Dr. Derek Culnan said. “Ninety-one percent of his body was third-degree, so his skin was cooked all the way through.”
The patient, who is still processing the trauma, was not ready to share his story on camera but said he hopes sharing his experience can give others hope. Culnan explained the innovative treatments used to save the man’s life, starting with a steroid treatment.
“We got a special permit from the FDA and got him on that, and I think that was a large part in getting muscle mass back and strength to heal,” Culnan said.
Another critical step involved growing skin cells in a lab in Boston.
“We took a biopsy when he got in here, and they went and processed it, and that is where we got the bulk of the skin that we covered him with,” Culnan said. “The folks in that lab were able to grow skin cells and give us skin sheets that were in a time frame where he could survive.”
The next phase of the patient’s recovery focused on regaining function.
“His feet had fallen into equinus. Basically, he was on his tippy-toes because, with all the grafting, we were not able to stretch his ankle enough to get them upright,” Culnan said.
Specialized braces were used to help him learn to walk again.
“The two rings go up on the leg and bolt into someone’s tibia. These bars go into the heel bone, and these go into all five toes,” Culnan said. “What happens is there are actually motors installed here, and they move progressively over a month to move the foot up.”
The patient is now in a rehabilitation center, working to heal and adapt to his new normal. Culnan described his story as an example of human resilience and faith.
Culnan also noted that the Burn Foundation of America played a significant role in the patient’s recovery, even covering the cost of the steroid treatment that helped him regain muscle mass and strength.
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