My Story: Tina

by

Tina can never forget the phone call she received while visiting her brother out of state in August 2020.

Tina learned her daughter had been in a car accident. Her 6-year-old grandson Colton was also in the car, asleep in the backseat. Both were taken to hospitals. A narcotic was found in her daughter’s blood, and she was taken into custody upon her release from the hospital.

Colton suffered burns over most of his body, and Tina’s life changed in what felt like an instant.

“I rushed back to Texas,” she recalls. “After that, my grandson and I lived in the ICU. It was just terrible. I'm just so thankful that we are far from that day.”

In the years following the accident, Tina was unprepared for the extraordinary grace and strength she received from God through one of the most difficult seasons of her family’s life.

FACING A NEW NORMAL

Colton spent five months in the hospital’s intensive care unit after the accident.

“He's 76% burnt,” Tina says. “He lost his fingers. He lost all 10 of his digits. He has lost 90% of his outer ears and he has no hair. He's severely injured although he's fully healed. These burns are very extensive, and the majority is to the upper part of his body.”

Tina was awarded custody of Colton following the accident and has been by his side through every step of his recovery.

“He's had upwards of 15 surgeries,” she says. “It's been a real struggle. Skin grafts do not grow with you. As long as he's growing, he will always have to have grafts added to his growth. … So there's still more surgeries to come.”

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM COLTON

Tina was overwhelmed with the enormity of the situation her family was living through: Her daughter was in prison, and her grandson was relearning how to dress and feed himself.

She didn’t know if she could support Colton with the strength he needed. As Colton relearned life skills, Tina discovered her young grandson was showing her how to live.

Colton’s determination and courage in facing challenges gave Tina a new sense of purpose and perseverance. It was evident to her that God was equipping him to face unbearable circumstances with grace and joy.

“Something great has been placed on his life by Jesus,” she says. “This is something so great that only He can do, that the Lord has given him this amazing spirit to press forward and smile and be happy, truly genuinely happy.”

FUN AT ANGEL TREE CAMP

Colton is homeschooled and attends live class sessions on his computer. He also loves playing on his Xbox.

He likes to make new friends and goes out of his way to put children at ease when they stare at him or are afraid. He comforts others who seem uncomfortable with his appearance.

“He says, ‘Oh, it's OK. You don't have to be afraid,’” Tina says. “‘I'm just a normal kid. Just like you. I was just in a car wreck, and I got burnt.’”

Although it has been almost five years since the accident, Tina still wonders at how God has used Colton to help her see things in a different light.

“Sometimes out in public, to be honest, someone will make me mad, by how they're looking [at him],” she says. “But Colton just has a way of putting it all into perspective and he is the child. He's a constant blessing to me.”

When the opportunity for Colton to attend an Angel Tree camp came up, Tina wasn’t sure about it. He had attended another camp earlier that summer and came home sunburned.

“I was really apprehensive about him even attending another camp,” she says. “But Colton went and encountered a lot of really good Christian youths, as well as the leaders of the camp. He had a wonderful time. Just absolutely wonderful.”

For Colton, who loves to swim, run, and scoop up minnows and frogs with a net, it was a perfect week outdoors with new friends.

PURPOSE FROM PAIN

Since the accident that devastated her family, Tina says Colton has made a full recovery from the burns he sustained. He will still have surgeries and deal with the physical effects but through it all, God has been more than faithful.

“My family is fully restored,” Tina says. “My daughter made a horrific mistake, and it literally cost her everything. She has completely been restored. I truly believe that through this tragedy, it has changed her life. I thank God every single day for what He has done with this accident.”

In the darkest moments of her family’s ordeal, Tina feared her grandson’s life was over at such a young age.

“But you know what? Colton showed me that his life isn't over at all. I wasn't aware of how he was going to come back. I mean come back in full steam.”

Tina encourages other grandparents and caregivers that “when we can’t walk, God carries us. The Lord has carried me along, and He has said, ‘Oh yes, you can. You've got this and you can do this. I will go before you and I will go with you.’  Together, we have done this. Without Christ, there's no way. Without the Lord, there is absolutely no way.”