Friends bring prom to girl burned in Illinois fire pit explosion
GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Illinois -- An Illinois girl who was severely burned in a backyard fire pit explosion last month got a second chance to attend prom.
Fifteen-year-old Korryn Bachner spent days in the hospital and almost had her plans to attend Glenbard East High School's prom canceled, but then her friends stepped in and came to the rescue. Two weeks ago, she was among a dozen teenagers injured when a boy poured gasoline on a bonfire at a Glendale Heights home, causing an explosion.
Bachner has serious burns on much of face and hands, which meant she had to skip her high school's prom. But Saturday night, her date decorated the basement and friends stopped over before going to the actual prom.
"There were tears," dad Bob Bachner said.
It was just one of many examples of how the Lombard community has rallied around the victims of the accident, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars on GoFundMe pages and with traditional fundraisers like a car wash. The money will help with medical bills.
"Overwhelming doesn't seem like the right word anymore," mom Ellen Bachner said.
"The community has really gone out of their way to be helpful, to be there," Bob Bachner said. "Everything that is going on, it is very overwhelming and very humbling."
Doctors expects Korryn Bachner to fully recover from the burns, but it will take months.
She will be a junior next year, and there will likely be other school dances in her future. But none likely as emotional as Saturday night's dance in her basement.
"Having all my friends support, it helps a lot," she said. "It takes my mind off things."
While she is grateful to be home, her best friend remains hospitalized.
----------
