Photos by Lena Flynn

Myles Bodor (left) and Lena Flynn (right) celebrating a Friendsgiving together. Bodor allowed Flynn to put hot rollers in his hair and claimed he was burnt by them.

The world is a dangerous place, and Myles Bodor, freshman, has proven it many times over. His injuries exceed his age and many believe his ability to come back from these injuries is astonishing. 

Bodor has been getting into trouble since he was merely nine months old. With second-degree burns on nearly 85% of his body and three months in the hospital, now 15 years later he still remembers the experience.

“I remember the smell of my skin burning. It smelled like apples and burning flesh. It’s a smell I’ll never forget. And I remember the burning and then losing consciousness,” Bodor said. “My mom was making homemade apple sauce in the crockpot and she left the chord down dangling and I pulled it and it fell all over me.

Though second-degree burns are not as bad as third degree, they can still cause swelling, red, white, or splotchy skin, blisters, and are very painful. Deep second-degree burns can cause permanent scarring. Other long-term effects of burns include contractures, weakness, thermoregulation, itching, pain, sleep, body image, and impacted psychosocial well-being.

Bodor has also gotten burns from fireworks and firecrackers. While being hit with a mortar was painful, thinking he blew off his hand was worse. 

“I was with my friends back in Philly, Adrien and Bryan, and were lighting off firecrackers, having a good time. We drew this big role of it and there was only one left. These firecrackers had a normal size fuse, but they burn really really fast. Faster than normal. It fell off and only got halfway burnt and I was like ‘should I do it?’ so I lit it. It probably exploded 2 or 3 inches from my hand,” Bodor said. “Knocked me onto the floor for sure. Not too much happened to my hand, no blood or anything like that but it just hurt. Like someone hit it with a sledgehammer. And ya know, some ringing of the ears.”

When it comes to fireworks, it’s always best to leave it to the professionals and watch from a safe distance. Playing with them is always dangerous even when with an adult. Bodor was very lucky not to have any serious injuries or any long-term effects like permanent hearing loss and very well could have lost his hand or a finger. Other effects of handling fireworks unproperly can include restlessness, high blood pressure, and sleep disturbance. Playing with fireworks or firecrackers can also lead to respiratory problems like chronic or allergic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, sinus infection, stuffy nose, pneumonia, and laryngitis.

“Be safe and be careful because things happen that are unexpected all the time expect the best, prepare for the worst,” said Bodor.