CONROE, Texas — There’s a long recovery ahead for 6-year-old Nathan Winters and his grandmother Charlotte. Just last week, they were both severely burned by a downed power line in an RV park near Lake Conroe.
Morgan Winters is Nathan’s mother and Charlotte’s daughter.
“They’re both fighters and they’re both going to make it through it one day at a time,” Morgan said.
Speaking to us Monday, she explained that her mother had picked up Nathan from camp last Tuesday and taken him back to her RV. That evening, they decided to leave the RV park when a storm knocked out the power. As they were driving away, they noticed the downed power line and left their vehicle to warn a neighbor. That’s when electricity was sent through their bodies even though they were nowhere near the source.
“I was terrified. I mean, it’s a phone call that nobody ever wants, not only is it your parent, it’s your child,” she said. “It rained earlier in the day so with the ground being wet, they believe they could have affected and could have caused them to be electrocuted as well.”
In the days following the accident, Morgan confirmed that both Charlotte and Nathan had undergone surgery. Charlotte required donor skin grafts and remains in the ICU.
“My mom, about 55 percent of her body is burned with second and third-degree burns,” Morgan said. “Without these donations of blood, plasma, or somebody’s loved one being willing to donate their skin after they pass, my family wouldn’t be alive right now.”
On the other hand, Nathan was able to receive skin grafts from his own healthy skin and was moved from the ICU to the pediatric floor. Even though he was burned on almost 20% of his body, by Monday, the 6-year-old was already wheeling himself around his hospital room.
The family started a GoFundMe page to help pay for hospital expenses.
Morgan tells KHOU 11 that she hopes Nathan is far enough in his recovery to start first grade in the fall. However, she believes that her mother may be in the ICU for at least two months.
“I know deep down it’s going to be okay, even though it’s going to be hard and challenging. I’m just very thankful that they’re both alive,” she said.