Haitian patients at UNC share stories of survival

A man struggled into the room, his walk restricted by bandages covering him to the tips of his fingers. His face, the only exposed area of skin, was covered with sores and devoid of eyebrows or lashes.

As the room absorbed his presence, he broke the silence with a bright “Bonjour!”

Eric Louis is one of three burn victims from Haiti receiving treatment at the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospitals who spoke about traumas, recoveries and plans beyond the hospital bed on Friday.

The three victims were flown into UNC to receive care from burn specialists two weeks ago.

The patients, donning thin yellow smocks, each individually answered questions to a crowd of cameras and reporters alongside a panel of three medical professionals. Lionel Giordani translated for them.

Eric Louis

His experience: Louis, 48, was in a taxi that had pulled into a gas station on his way home from work.
The gas station and cab exploded, severely burning his face, back and arms.

He walked to a hospital and called his sons from his mobile phone. The hospital was serving as a refuge but didn’t have any medical professionals to care for him.

His wife, Yvita Louis, who spoke with him at the conference, came and took him home to care for him.

Yvita Louis said she cut his loose skin and washed and bandaged the wounds. After six days, a neighbor drove them in a pickup truck to Dominican Republic, from which he was flown to the United States.

The burn center grafted donated skin onto Louis’ hands, Cairns said. He has already had two operations and will have at least five more, Cairns said.

Future plans: Yvita Louis said they have no home in Haiti and would like to stay in North Carolina.

Marie Thomas

Her experience: Thomas, 57, had been carrying a pan of hot cooking oil when the moving tectonic plates knocked the oil from the pan and onto her back and legs.

She said her 17-year-old son, Samuel, helped her run as buildings fell around them. Her son is with her at the hospital now.

A Dominican man washed the burns the next day, but four days went by before she received formal treatment.

Future plans: Thomas would like to find a job and stay in the U.S. She said she doesn’t know how long it will take for the country to rebuild itself.

Other thoughts: When asked if she thought there was hope for her country, she replied, “God is there. God will take care of it.”

Jinel Masena

His experience: Masena, 23, was at a  metal factory forming and painting products blue and white when the earthquake struck.

He said he started running as things tumbled down around him.

He tripped and fell to the ground into sulfuric acid — a highly corrosive chemical that burns skin at contact.

He got up and tried to run, only to fall again.

In addition to the burning liquid on the floor, sulfuric acid poured onto him from above. The chemical ate away the skin on his arms and legs from multiple fronts.

Masena rolled up his sleeve on his right arm to show the room a patchwork of pink and brown.

Since arriving in North Carolina, Masena has had skin grafts in areas where the damage was too extensive to heal on its own, said Bruce Cairns, medical director of the Jaycee Burn Center.

The largest damage was on his legs, which were covered.

Future plans: Masena said he would like to stay in the U.S. and finish school or get a job. He completed two years of grammar school in Haiti.

Other thoughts: When asked about Haiti’s national day of mourning, which was held on Friday, Masena said he was grateful to be alive and cared for.

“It’s bright for him to be here,” Giordani said for Masena. “He sees he’s over here able to be talking. God gave him life to encourage him to talk about what happened.” 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.