A woman who once thought she had a rock-solid marriage had her life turned upside down after she was involved in a tragic, freak campfire accident. The accident, in which she was engulfed in flames, left her with 3rd and 4th degree burns all over her body. But, while she was recovering from her injuries in the hospital, she was hit with even more shocking news.
In November 2016, Courtney Waldon, a mother of one, from Tallapoosa, Georgia found herself homeless with medical bills exceeding over $2 million after her husband abandoned her and their daughter, following a horrific campfire accident.
Ever since the incident, Courtney has had to put the pieces of her life back together in every way imaginable to find a way forward for her and her daughter.
The Painful Night Courtney’s Life Changed Forever
The incident took place in September 2016. That night, everything seemed just perfect for Courtney, who’d just married the love of her life two months prior, and already had her beautiful little girl, Caroline. Sadly, a near-fatal mistake involving their campfire would change everything.
On the evening of September 30, Courtney and her husband Mitch were celebrating their two-month wedding anniversary. After putting 5-year-old Caroline to bed, Courtney joined Mitch by a campfire he started in their backyard.
As Courtney and Mitch enjoyed their time by the fire, grilling tuna steak and asparagus, life seemed perfect. Then once the fire seemed to have gone out, her husband, in an attempt to restart it, doused the campfire with gasoline and accidentally got some onto his wife in the process!
In no time, caroline was covered in hot flames, and she said it was the most physically painful experience she’d ever felt. Mitch called 911, and soon paramedics were able to put out the flames. However, Courtney was now disfigured.
She sustained 3rd-degree burns to her hands, legs, and get while suffering 4th-degree burns on her face. In an interview with People Magazine, Courtney said:
Courtney was put in a medically induced coma for 51 days while in the hospital, where she underwent different treatments including numerous skin grafts and at least 20 surgeries.
The Betrayal
While she struggled for life in the hospital, Courtney experienced yet another tragedy — Mitch decided to abandon his wife and step-daughter.
In an interview with Inside Edition, Courtney said that Mitch left because he could not deal with her situation. According to her, she’s never received an apology from her ex-husband for his cowardly actions. After all, he was the one responsible for the accident that disfigured her, even though he didn’t mean to harm her.
But, according to Mitch, he says he has nothing to apologize for because it was only an accident, instead, he claims that Courtney threatened to shoot him, which is why he abandoned her and her daughter.
Many commentators on social media believe this man is pure evil.
Picking up the Pieces
Following the accident, Courtney says that she focused on reclaiming her life and becoming stronger for both herself and her little girl.
The woman noted how she had to endure numerous rude remarks from strangers about her appearance but remains stronger than those hateful people.
On July 14, 2017, a GoFundMe page was started for Caroline which raised about $92,000 (€81,318.80). Also, a group of folks offered to build the woman and her child a new home.
Mitch’s behavior also leads many to question whether or not it was really an “accident.”
You can watch a video about Courtney’s tragic story and how she reclaimed her life, below.
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