Shriners Children’s Patient, Burn Survivor Inspires Donation to Therapy Team

A chance meeting on a flight inspired a recent donation to the occupational therapy department at Shriners Children’s Ohio.

Thirteen-year-old Courtney and her aunt were on a flight home from Courtney’s recent appointment at Shriners Children’s Ohio when the man sitting in the same row struck up a conversation with the pair.

That stranger, Scott McNair, asked their reason for traveling, and that opened the door for Courtney to explain why she was at a hospital in Ohio.

Two years earlier, Courtney was in a fiery car crash that left her with significant burn injuries. She had to relearn how to walk and use her hands after one hand was amputated due to her injuries. She still wears custom pressure garments to help flatten any scarring, and still travels from her home in South Carolina to Ohio for follow-up visits.

McNair, who works in healthcare, said listening to Courtney’s story was inspiring and exactly what he needed. “I was coming off a string of frustrating days, so meeting someone who had been through so much and handled it with grace and humor was really inspiring,” McNair said.

Courtney has embraced her burn recovery journey and said, for her, making jokes helps her cope with the painful aspects of recovery. “It’s obvious I have scars so I use it to my advantage,” she explained. “For Halloween I dressed as a pirate because I thought the scars looked really cool with my outfit.”

Her aunt said Courtney also jokes with people that her scars were the result of a fight with a shark. “Of course, I tell people I won,” Courtney said with a laugh.