An American woman who suffered life-threatening burns over 40% of her body in a devastating gas station explosion in 2019 recently shared her remarkable transformation six years after the blast.
Abigail Alexander was just 18 when a fuel tanker ignited in Cambodia, nearly claiming her life. Today, she is recovered and living her best life as a new mom, with thousands of supporters online cheering her on.
Abbey’s journey towards recovery started with trauma and pain
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
In 2019, Abbey was working as a teacher in Siem Reap, Cambodia, with her friend Zoe Eleftheriou, who is from the UK, when a tanker carrying over 400 gallons of petrol ignited during delivery.
A total of 13 people were hurt, including the two young women, who were riding a motorcycle at the time.
Abbey’s injuries were so severe she was put on a ventilator, with medical staff warning her family the road ahead would be long and painful.
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
Photos taken in the aftermath of the blast showed Abbey wrapped in thick bandages. Her face was burned and unrecognizable as well. All in all, 40% of her body suffered third-degree burns.
Her first medical experiences in Cambodia were brutal. Abbey recalled having an IV drilled into her bone without pain medication, and being submerged in ice water, which she later learned worsens burn trauma.
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
“I spent a long few weeks on the ventilator. I even managed to pull out my breathing tube at one point. I struggled with hallucinations and ‘false memories’ and it took a long time for me to be able to decipher what was real and what was not,” she said.
Getting home to the United States from Cambodia was challenging, but once she was home, she was treated by a team of doctors at the Denver UC health burn unit, according to a Daily Mail report.
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
In a comment on Reddit, Abbey stated that she received skin grafts to help treat the burns in her body. She also had recell done on her face.
Her healing journey became a source of hope and admiration for others
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
Abbey revealed the latest chapter of her remarkable recovery by posting new images to Reddit’s Made Me Smile community. The images offered a rare and deeply personal look into the physical and emotional aftermath of surviving her traumatic experience.
Titled “Almost six years post burn!!”, her post featured before-and-after images that traced her recovery from intubated hospital patient to swimsuit-wearing mom with minimal visible scarring.
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
One photo showed her smiling in a hospital bed, while another captured her proudly holding a fish while on vacation. Another featured a confident selfie.
The outpouring of support from the burn survivor community and netizens in general has been overwhelming. A critical care nurse wrote: “We never get to see this. When we send patients out of the ICU, they still look like you did in the first picture. This warmed my heart a bit.”
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
One person also recognized her story from years back, writing, “Are you the one that was on a moped in Cambodia and a gas station exploded that you were driving past?! If so, omg you look amazing!”
One simply called her a “legend,” while another stated that “Some of the toughest people have never battled what you have and come out the better.”
Abbey built a new life after her traumatic experience
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
Abbey herself has become an active figure in burn recovery communities, often encouraging others with her journey.
In an earlier interview, she said, “I am now active in the burn survivor community where I try and encourage others with my story. I try to constantly live every day like it could be my last.”
“I didn’t only manage to survive. I thrived,” she added.
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
Her healing wasn’t just skin deep. Over time, Abigail’s life blossomed. She became a mother to a baby girl and was engaged to her longtime partner Austin Michael.
“Didn’t know how I’d ever live a normal life or be happy again,” she wrote on Reddit. “Now I’m engaged, pregnant, and happier than ever.”
Image credits: abbeyiskewl2/Reddit
She now resides in Glendive, Montana, far from where the accident occurred but surrounded by the people she loves and an online community inspired by her story.
Netizens shared their thoughts on Abbey’s resilience on social media
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