Finding Balance Again: Arantza’s Journey of Caring and Healing

Arantza is a soft-spoken, thoughtful 11-year-old girl who has always tried to be helpful at home.

On a cold winter day, that caring instinct led to a tragic accident, one moment that changed her life in an instant. What began as a simple attempt to help her family stay warm resulted in serious burn injuries and a long road to recovery at Shriners Children’s Texas.

The accident occurred at the end of December 2025 in Toluca, Mexico, where winter temperatures can be especially harsh. To warm the bathroom before a shower, the family turned to a bioethanol‑fueled heater, which they had safely used in the past. Arantza had been told that fueling the heater was only for adults, but wanting to help ensure there would be enough warmth for her father later on, she tried to add more fuel while her mother briefly stepped away. In that moment, the flame flared back suddenly, causing severe burns.

Through quick medical coordination and intervention, Arantza was referred to Shriners Children’s Texas and arrived at a critical time. Over the next two and a half months, she received specialized burn care focused not only on healing her physical injuries but also on supporting her emotional recovery. The impact of that care is something her family feels deeply.

“Shriners Children’s helped her to recover her health and her mobility – her life,” Araceli, her mother, said. “We really, really appreciate all the effort, all the kindness, all the attention. It is a little part of heaven for all the patients. I don’t have words to describe our happiness to be here since the first day.”

Before the accident, Arantza was very active in gymnastics. She began training when she was just 4 years old and spent years practicing and building her skills. Her specialty is aerial silks gymnastics, a demanding sport that combines strength and grace, in which gymnasts perform suspended movements on long strips of fabric.

Throughout her recovery, returning to her activities has been a powerful source of motivation. She plans to rebuild her strength and mobility to get back to her gymnastics routines. The rehabilitation and emotional support she received at Shriners Children’s Texas has helped her believe that the future is possible.

"Arantza sustained significant burn injuries that temporarily derailed her from pursuing her passion for gymnastics,” said Emma Ogunda, FNP, nurse practitioner at Shriners Children’s Texas. “Despite these challenges, she approached every aspect of her wound care and treatment with remarkable resilience and unwavering hope. She has never allowed her circumstances to define or limit her determination. Moving forward, she will require staged reconstructive procedures to support her recovery and help her work toward achieving her goals in gymnastics."

During her stay, Arantza formed meaningful connections with staff members, including Marta Rosenberg, Ph.D., from psychology, who gave her a stuffed puppy named Juan Pedro. The small companion quickly became a source of comfort and security, and you could often see Arantza smiling, holding Juan Pedro close, as she walked down the halls.

As Arantza prepares to return home, she looks forward to hugging her father, reuniting with her two puppies, Coco and Lady, and enjoying her favorite homemade meal, pozole. Most of all, she looks ahead with optimistic hope, determined to heal and return to the activities she loves.