Because of Siskin, I can garden again.

It was a typical May afternoon at the Willcutt's home. Charles was working to expand the garden when they felt a few raindrops and heard a single clap of thunder. He instructed his wife, Cynthia, who was working in garden boxes closer to home, to move to the carport. In a matter of seconds, she witnessed her husband being struck by lightning. A bolt of lightning struck a tree and arched 12 feet to Charles. He was thrown backwards down the embankment into a patch of poison ivy, leaving his face ashen, and rendering him motionless for several minutes.

When emergency personnel arrived, Charles whispered, "My feet are on fire!" Upon removing his boots, they realized he had suffered severe burns, causing his socks to melt to his feet and boots. He was transported to Erlanger’s Adult Trauma Unit, assessed, and then transferred to a burn trauma unit in Austell, Georgia, where blisters formed on much of his body, from head to toes over the next 24 hours. Additionally, Charles endured six extensive surgeries over six plus weeks.

Cynthia and Charles, who are fairly new to the Chattanooga area, had heard about Siskin Hospital from several church members, and an Occupational Therapist at the GA Hospital. When it was time for rehabilitation, Cynthia contacted Susan Deekins at Siskin, requested a tour, and realized this was precisely the place where Charles needed to be. When he arrived from GA, he was completely bedridden, and experiencing major muscle atrophy. However, with the help of his physical, occupational, and speech therapists, he has been able to rebuild his muscles and memories.

Charles said that if he could say one thing about Siskin Hospital, it would be, "It's phenomenal - that's the only thing I can come up with." He pays tribute to his incredible, whole-person-focused teams of medical staff, case management, therapists, and wound care. He mentioned that if he had another month here, he is confident he would be able to walk out of the building. Thankfully, Charles will continue his treatment in our outpatient program, where we hope to see Charles achieve his goal. He already is a miracle