Tragedy and chaos struck into the heart of our household on Wednesday, March 26th. A typical Wednesday afternoon quickly spiraled into a time-sensitive emergency for our, at the time, youngest child, Levi.

At approximately 16:40, Levi shuffled his little bare feet into what we thought was a cool pile of ash. He quickly started to scream as he stood in the hot embers hiding beneath the cooled ash pile. I ran. I ran as fast as any 39-week pregnant woman could possibly run. I firmly believe that God's timing is perfect, but in that moment, I was washed in dread, doubt, and fear. Fearful that I was too late. Doubtful of God's timing. Dreading what would happen after this moment. I quickly noticed how white and rippled those little bare feet were as I scooped Levi up from that deceitful pile of ashes. My three older children ran to me, and I shouted commands to grab shoes and get in the car. With not a second to spare, I laid my son on the couch and assessed his wounds while quickly changing his soiled diaper.

After an eventful ride, we finally arrived at the hospital. The nurses wet bandaged Levi's feet while we struggled to help hold down his little body. He was quivering and shaking in pain, trembling with every breath. His little feet and toes looked awful. There was talk of "non-blanching," and potential toe loss.

LifeStar2 arrived and immediately flew our son to the burn center in Augusta while we loaded up and drove the 2.5-hour drive.

At the burn center, Levi underwent two debridements. One while awake when he landed, and a second the next morning during surgery. The surgeons stated that 3% of his body was burned, with severe 2nd-degree burns on the left foot, and 3rd-degree burns on the right foot. They coated the left foot in amniotic membrane for stem cell growth and wrapped his left foot in cadaver skin. Miraculously, the surgeon told us that Levi's tiny little toes were the least burned, and that no grafting would be needed in those areas.

Our fifth baby, Faith, was born peacefully, two days after Levi was discharged from Augusta.

Levi went to his follow-up appointment on Thursday, April 3rd. They admitted him, got his pain under control, and proceeded with the skin graft surgery the following morning. The hospital stay and surgery were both very hard on him and my husband.

Levi had his first of at least six laser surgeries on the 7th of July. He has a long road of surgeries ahead, and at this time, we are scheduling them for every four weeks. After the laser surgeries are completed, Levi will begin his two-year scar management journey.

This storm has impacted our family, finances, and our future tremendously. The road to recovery seems daunting, and I know it will have its own obstacles along the way, but there's no one else I'd rather walk down this road with than my God, my husband, and our village.

We are humbly reaching out for your support to help us navigate this challenging time. Your donations will directly assist with:

*Medical bills and co-pays: Covering expenses not fully covered by insurance for Levi's surgeries, hospital stays, specialized appointments, and ongoing treatments.

*Specialized care and supplies: Future physical therapy, occupational therapy, wound care, and any adaptive equipment Levi may need as he grows.

*Lost wages: Jerry did not work for almost 4 months since Levi's injury.

*Travel and accommodations: Covering the costs associated with multiple trips to the specialized burn center, which is a significant distance from our home. We also stay in a hotel the night prior to his surgeries to make Levi more comfortable.

Every donation, no matter the size, will make a profound difference in Levi's healing and our family's ability to focus on his recovery without overwhelming financial burden. Please consider donating and sharing Levi's story with your networks.

We are so grateful for your continued prayers, your kindness, and your generosity, as we walk this difficult path, and we will continue to provide updates on Levi's progress.

Thank you for being an integral part of Levi's healing journey.