My name is Michella Grippo. I was severely burned three times in total. Below is a picture of my last burn which occurred 2 weeks after a burn I received on my leg from a go-karting accident.
The last time I had been burned it was August of 2009 and I would be going in to my grade 7 year at a new school. I thought it was the end of the world and my life would be over. Not only would I be the new kid, but I’d be that freak whose arm had to be all wrapped up because of what had happened.
I couldn’t understand why this had happened to me, I thought I must have done something really bad to deserve this and it wasn’t fair. What I didn’t know was being burned was honestly one of the best things that happened to me. I had a story no one else had and later would develop a family at Burn Camp no one else would have. I just graduated from the Burn Camp this past year and I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity I was given with them. Before going to Burn Camp I hated the stares and constant questions about “what was on my arm.” The camp taught me it’s an amazing thing to be different and it’s ok to have these scars. I’m not a freak and I’m not alone. I’m a survivor and I couldn’t be more proud of that.
Thanks to the amazing firefighters, nurses and volunteers I grew as an individual and became a success story. My heart will always be with those of the Burn Fund, Burn Camp and the survivors. We are not freaks or different or whatever people want to say about us, we are survivors and a lot of us are heroes.
Thank you to the entire Burn Fund Organization.
If you’re reading this…remember, it’s ok to be different,
it’s better to have a story than nothing.
