Man loses 40% of his skin when he risks his life to save his beloved dog from house fire
A Texas man burned off 40 per cent of his skin after rushing back into his burning home to save his pet after a motorcycle exploded inside.
Zain Cano, 31, of San Antonio, risked his life to save his pet on May 22 when a fire erupted inside the duplex he lived in with his wife Jenna Carter while he was working inside on his motorcycle around 10pm.
Cano managed to safely escape the apartment, only to realize his beloved dog Clarence was still inside so he ran into the flaming property.
Cano wrote on Reddit: 'I had been working on my motorcycle and didn't secure the fuel line, the gas leaked on to the carpet and caught fire.'
His wife Carter was not home at the time the fire broke out.
When firefighters arrived, flames licked the property and they found Cano laying on the lawn, according to News 4 San Antonio.
He was rushed to the hospital and the heroic feat left Cano with burns covering his body, and he required multiple surgeries, as was revealed in a GoFundMe fundraiser and on Facebook.
Cano, who was released from the hospital on Wednesday, also underwent a skin graft on the right side of his body and had a blood transfusion.
One of the grafts, which transferred skin from his calf to his foot, resulted in one of his tattoos being moved to a new location on his body.
Photos of Cano in hospital, showed him completely unrecognizable with no hair and white bandages covering every part of his body - a far cry from the dark-haired, mustached man he was before the incident.
The blaze meant that Cano, who did not have health insurance, Carter, and Clarence were homeless as the dog owner faced a lengthy and painful road to recovery.
Cano added: 'I feel horrible because my family is now homeless because of my mistake. We're staying at a motel for the time being, but it's expensive and I can't work and probably won't be able to for at least another month or more.'
Carter's caring for Cano as he needs assistance changing his bandages, and while bathing or using the toilet.
His wife said on the charity page: 'He's had a hard road so far and a long one ahead of him in terms of healing.
'He's going to need multiple weeks of continuous medical care and help from me (he has to use a walker and cannot use his hands), and we desperately need a stable environment for him to heal in.'
The couple's hoping to purchase a camper van to minimize their expenses, but they worry it might not be practical for Cano, who's 'having trouble getting around'.
Cano wrote online: 'We have to change my bandages daily and we're concerned about keeping things clean enough so I don't get an infection.
'Unfortunately, we already spent what little savings we had and I won't be able to work for a while.'
The couple started the fundraiser as a way to request help with medical bills, permanent housing, and upcoming expenses.
Cano posted on Facebook: 'So now time is of the essence and I'm humbly and embarrassingly asking for help again.'
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