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.
Terrace乌鸦传媒檚 Grace Peerless passed away at the B.C. Children乌鸦传媒檚 Hospital at 1 a.m. May 26.
Grace乌鸦传媒檚 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 daughter乌鸦传媒檚 clothing with hairspray acting as an accelerant.
乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 from the north 乌鸦传媒� she乌鸦传媒檚 been around fire her whole life. She乌鸦传媒檚 a scout. She wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 just fall in,乌鸦传媒� Lynn said.
Lynn had heard her daughter乌鸦传媒檚 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 Terrace乌鸦传媒檚 Mills Memorial Hospital to B.C. Children乌鸦传媒檚 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 Grace乌鸦传媒檚 likelihood of survival was as high as 95 per cent but complications quickly escalated and Grace passed away within 36 hours of the accident.
乌鸦传媒淓veryone is stunned. I mean the doctors don乌鸦传媒檛 even understand why,乌鸦传媒� said Lynn. 乌鸦传媒淚 was ready to help her through a very long recovery乌鸦传媒t least she would be alive.乌鸦传媒�
The BC Coroners Service can only confirm a Terrace female in her early teens was airlifted to the B.C. Children乌鸦传媒檚 Hospital in Vancouver May 24 and pronounced deceased May 26. No other information is available until the coroner乌鸦传媒檚 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 Grace乌鸦传媒檚 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.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 amazing how many people are coming forward, and I乌鸦传媒檓 learning just how many people乌鸦传媒檚 lives she touched,乌鸦传媒� Lynn said. 乌鸦传媒淪he was a true floater, someone who could drift through every crowd. It didn乌鸦传媒檛 matter if your family was on welfare or you were the richest kid in school, she乌鸦传媒檇 treat you the same.乌鸦传媒�
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.
乌鸦传媒淥ur staff and students share a heartfelt sadness around the loss of this young life,乌鸦传媒� she said in an email. 乌鸦传媒淎t times like this, as everyone else in our community, our hearts go out to the family and relatives.乌鸦传媒�
A celebration of life has been planned for Tuesday, June 5 at 4 p.m at Terrace乌鸦传媒檚 the REM Lee Theater. A reception will follow.
The family says they乌鸦传媒檝e incurred close to $10,000 in expenses for travel and funeral arrangements, for which a
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