(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – J.D. TenNapel, who was treated at Shriners Hospitals for Children® — Northern California for second degree burn injuries sustained in the Colorado wildfire earlier this week, is traveling back home to Colorado today.
J.D. TenNapel risked his life when he drove an all-terrain vehicle down a dirt road near his home in Cedaredge, Colo., to rescue an elderly couple from the fast-moving fire. He sustained burn injuries to his arms, legs and back. After undergoing treatment at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California, a regional pediatric burn center, he is ready to be reunited with friends and family.
“We wanted J.D. to have the finest burn care available,” said his father, James, who accompanied his son on a flight from Colorado to Sacramento, where the hospital is located.
“We are very thankful for Dr. Greenhalgh and the entire team here at Shriners Hospital,” said James TenNapel. “The injuries and treatments are painful and J.D. will need to continue with his physical therapy when he returns home. If all goes well, J.D. will be back on the football field with his Montrose High School teammates this fall. This means a great deal to him and has motivated him through the pain.”
“We are here to ensure that kids like J.D. are able to receive comprehensive burn care and return to school and their community, able to pursue all the activities they enjoy,” said David Greenhalgh, M.D., the hospital's chief of burns. “If not treated properly, burn injuries can lead to infection and limited range of motion. I tell families that all burn injuries require proper medical care,” Dr. Greenhalgh added.
About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, research and medical education. The 22 hospitals in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
For more information, call 916-453-2000 or visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.