When he was just 18, Aiden Neldon’s life changed in an instant when he suffered severe burns during a work accident.
It was a terrifying ordeal, but the care Aiden received at the Firefighters Burn Center helped him overcome challenges and walk away inspired for the future.
Now, Aiden hopes to pursue a career in medicine, using his personal experience to support other patients with serious burn injuries.
Aiden Neldon was just 18 when his life changed in an instant. While working as an electrician’s apprentice, a serious accident left him with third degree burns over nearly half his body.
It would be easy to define “changed” by his severe injuries, multiple surgeries, or the scars he sees every day. However, that would miss the point of what truly changed for Aiden, and how he is turning the hardest experience of his life into a force for good.
Aiden said the care he received at Regional One Health’s Firefighters Burn Center inspired him to consider a career in medicine. “It changed my whole mindset. I’d love to work with burn patients. I’ve been through it, and I know what to expect – maybe I can help somebody else.”
Aiden was in the first year of his apprenticeship in Jonesboro, Arkansas in January 2024 when he went to work with one of the factory’s master electricians. “It’s funny, because it was snowing outside, so I actually didn’t have to go to work that day,” he remembers.
Eager to learn, he went anyway. The day began with routine tasks before the men went up to the ceiling to work on a busbar, a main electricity source that powers the factory floor.
The routine suddenly turned traumatic when the busbar exploded right next to Aiden: “When it flashes like that, it burns you from the inside to the outside,” he said. “It burned all my clothes off. I was on fire for a couple minutes.”
The team at the burn center provided Aiden with both expert care and compassionate support. “They’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met – they kind of became my second family,” he said.
First responders took Aiden to the Firefighters Burn Center, the only full-service burn center verified by the American Burn Association in a 400-mile radius of Memphis. Thanks to generous donors and the Regional One Health Foundation, the burn center is ready 24/7 with a specialized multidisciplinary team and elite resources dedicated to the care of burn patients’ unique needs.
“I remember being in the hydro room where they clean your burns. They asked me a bunch of questions, and then they knocked me out. From there, the ICU is kind of a blur,” Aiden said.
Aiden suffered third-degree burns over 43.5 percent of his body, from his bellybutton to his ankles, as well as nerve damage in his feet. For a time, there was concern he might lose his legs.
He spent the next three months at the burn center undergoing surgeries to debride and graft his wounds and doing physical therapy to relearn how to walk and perform day-to-day activities.
“Being in the ICU was rough. I’d never been in the hospital before; I’d never been sick,” Aiden said. “I didn’t like being there by myself, and I didn’t know what to expect.”
Support from loved ones and the burn center team kept him going.
Aiden required numerous surgeries, intensive care, and specialized rehabilitation – but now he’s getting back to the things he enjoys. “It was hard in the beginning, but you can’t give up,” he said. “It really does get better.”
Mahmoud Hassouba, MD, PhD, who performed Aiden’s surgeries, was careful to reassure him while also giving him a clear picture of what to expect in terms of outcomes and recovery.
Greg Photopulos, RN and other members of the nursing team became lifelong friends. From writing bible verses on the whiteboard in Aiden’s room to just taking time to sit and talk, their compassion made a huge difference.
“The nurses made it so much better,” Aiden said. “They were there during my surgeries. If I needed a small procedure where I wasn’t put to sleep, they’d stand next to me and hold my hand. They’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met – they kind of became my second family.”
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 hopes to use his experience to help others by pursuing a career in medicine. “I’d love to work with burn patients. I’ve been through it, and I know what to expect – maybe I can help somebody else,” he said.
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.”