Aiden Neldon suffered severe burns over 43.5 percent of his body while working at his apprenticeship. He spent a grueling three months at the Firefighters Burn Center, finding strength in family and support from a medical team that inspired him to consider a career in patient care. Sarah Sabbatini, PT, DPT, Cert.DN, Manager of Burn Rehabilitation, helped Aiden regain strength and stamina and keep his skin grafts flexible. “Physical therapy is the hardest part of the recovery process. I basically had to relearn how to do everything,” Aiden said. “They’re not easy on you, that’s for sure, but they’re really good at their job.” Finally, in April, Aiden was able to go home. He still needed physical therapy, follow-up surgeries, and laser therapy, and he also dealt with the emotional struggles of a traumatic injury. “I have a lot of PTSD. I have scars everywhere, so I have daily reminders. I have stages of depression,” Aiden said. “I was scared to get out and do stuff. I hadn’t seen my friends in a long time, and I was nervous about what people were going to say about me.” Aiden pushed through, steadily getting back to the things he enjoys. “I’m back to hanging out with friends. I go to the gym to work on getting stronger. I’m into working on trucks and going to truck and car shows, and I’m back to the point where I can do that,” he said. “It was hard in the beginning, but you can’t give up. It really does get better.” Now, that’s a message he hopes to share with other burn patients. He’s looking into shadowing some of his former nurses and pursuing an education and career in burn and wound care. For Aiden, it would be a chance to return the gift he received when he needed it most. “They were there for me. They still are,” he said. “They truly care about the healing process and they love seeing how far you’ve come. It makes my day going over there to see them – they never fail to put a smile on my face. I love all of them.” Help support our burn center! Visit regionalonehealthfoundation.org 18 2025 GRATITUDE REPORT
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