Calgary man who lost legs in fiery crash shares story at burn survivor conference
Global News
A Calgary man who was severely burned in a crash that killed two friends tells his story of recovery.
A man severely burned in an SUV crash is sharing his story of recovery at the Canadian Burn Survivors Community conference in Calgary this week.
Ben Harms had just graduated from Bowness High School in 2009. He and three friends were on road trip in Washington state that ended in a fiery crash. Two of his friends died.
Harms and a third friend were trapped in the vehicle. He suffered severe burns to his lower body resulting in the amputation of both of his lower legs.
“The mental stuff was difficult for a long time. Pretty unbearable pain and expecting my life to end,” Harms recalled.
“I don’t remember the pain so much at the accident, but just the surgeries and the skin grafts and the donor sites,” said the 32-year-old at the burn survivor conference on Saturday.
Canadian Burn Survivors Community (CBSC) is comprised of burn survivors, firefighters, burn unit staff and advisors.
“You’re always itchy and burns break down and they blister easily, especially with my legs, my skin wears down very quickly,” Harms said.
Harms said what helped him the most was the love and support family and friends surrounded him with.