A B.C. community is grieving the tragic death of a 13-year old girl who succumbed to complications from burns received at a backyard campfire.
Terracesa国际传媒檚 Grace Peerless passed away at the B.C. Childrensa国际传媒檚 Hospital at 1 a.m. May 26.
Gracesa国际传媒檚 mother, Lynn Peerless, said the family may never know how the flames reached her daughter, only that she was alone at the fire pit around 9 p.m., May 24, when her hair and clothes caught fire. Lynn believes a hot ember landed on her daughtersa国际传媒檚 clothing with hairspray acting as an accelerant.
sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 from the north sa国际传媒� shesa国际传媒檚 been around fire her whole life. Shesa国际传媒檚 a scout. She wouldnsa国际传媒檛 just fall in,sa国际传媒� Lynn said.
Lynn had heard her daughtersa国际传媒檚 screams then found her consumed in flames near the fire pit, she said. She yelled at Grace to stop, drop and roll while her 17-year-old son used a garden hose to douse the flames.
Grace was airlifted from Terracesa国际传媒檚 Mills Memorial Hospital to B.C. Childrensa国际传媒檚 Hospital in Vancouver where she was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. According to the family Grace suffered mostly second-degree burns to 30 per cent of her upper body. Doctors told the family Gracesa国际传媒檚 likelihood of survival was as high as 95 per cent but complications quickly escalated and Grace passed away within 36 hours of the accident.
sa国际传媒淓veryone is stunned. I mean the doctors donsa国际传媒檛 even understand why,sa国际传媒� said Lynn. sa国际传媒淚 was ready to help her through a very long recoverysa国际传媒t least she would be alive.sa国际传媒�
The BC Coroners Service can only confirm a Terrace female in her early teens was airlifted to the B.C. Childrensa国际传媒檚 Hospital in Vancouver May 24 and pronounced deceased May 26. No other information is available until the coronersa国际传媒檚 investigation is complete.
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The Peerless family was told today, May 29, it could take longer than a year to receive the report that may explain the complications leading to Gracesa国际传媒檚 death, and perhaps how the flames ignited in her hair and clothing in the first place.
As condolences spread to the family through social media, Grace was remembered as a consummate storyteller, a happy teenager and an adventurous scout.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 amazing how many people are coming forward, and Isa国际传媒檓 learning just how many peoplesa国际传媒檚 lives she touched,sa国际传媒� Lynn said. sa国际传媒淪he was a true floater, someone who could drift through every crowd. It didnsa国际传媒檛 matter if your family was on welfare or you were the richest kid in school, shesa国际传媒檇 treat you the same.sa国际传媒�
On Monday morning at the doors to Skeena Middle School, where Grace was a student, a makeshift memorial had sprung up as people dropped off flowers and notes.
School District 82 Superintendent of Schools, Katherine McIntosh, said resources were available to help everyone at the school move through the difficult time.
sa国际传媒淥ur staff and students share a heartfelt sadness around the loss of this young life,sa国际传媒� she said in an email. sa国际传媒淎t times like this, as everyone else in our community, our hearts go out to the family and relatives.sa国际传媒�
A celebration of life has been planned for Tuesday, June 5 at 4 p.m at Terracesa国际传媒檚 the REM Lee Theater. A reception will follow.
The family says theysa国际传媒檝e incurred close to $10,000 in expenses for travel and funeral arrangements, for which a
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