Gen Z Woman Survives Gas Explosion, Then She Shares Update 6 Years Later
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The story of a woman who was caught in a catastrophic gas explosion in Cambodia that left her with second- and third-degree burns over a large part of her body has gone viral on social media.
"I was living there at the time, teaching kindergarten, and had just pulled up to an intersection on a moped when a nearby gas station exploded," 24-year-old Abbey Alexander of Glendive, Montana, told Newsweek. "I suffered second- and third-degree burns across roughly 35 percent of my body, including my arms, legs, and face."
The explosion, which happened on August 14 in 2019, launched Alexander into a yearslong recovery process that she is now chronicling in a memoir. Her story has gained widespread attention after she shared images of her recovery journey in a post on Reddit, marking nearly six years since the incident. The post received more than 163,000 upvotes since being shared on July 20.
From left: Abbey Alexander lays in September 2019 in the burn intensive care unit; and smiles a few days after her bandages were taken off.
From left: Abbey Alexander lays in September 2019 in the burn intensive care unit; and smiles a few days after her bandages were taken off.
Abbey Alexander
"Those photos were taken while I was in the hospital in Denver during my initial recovery," she said.
Approximately 486,000 people in the U.S. are treated each year for burn injuries, noted a November 2024 study published in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. The study said that "burn injuries are increasingly recognized as causing diverse and dynamic biopsychosocial challenges that can persist throughout survivorship."
Alexander's account aligns with those findings. "It has been intense, both physically and emotionally," she said. "I was initially treated in Cambodian hospitals and eventually medevaced to a burn ICU [intensive care unit] in Denver, where I underwent surgeries and long-term wound care. Since then, I've had to relearn how to walk, manage nerve pain, and work through the trauma of the experience."
Abbey Alexander poses in a car in January this year (left); and during a fishing trip with her baby on the Yellowstone River in Glendive, Montana in May (right).
Abbey Alexander poses in a car in January this year (left); and during a fishing trip with her baby on the Yellowstone River in Glendive, Montana in May (right).
Abbey Alexander
Among the medical interventions Alexander underwent were multiple skin grafts, surgeries and extensive therapy. "I underwent skin grafts, ReCell treatment, multiple debridement surgeries, physical and occupational therapy, compression garment therapy, and ongoing mental health care," she said.
Alexander's early prognosis came with uncertainty. "There were concerns early on about infection, skin-graft rejection, and the risk of long-term disability," she said. "Over time, I've exceeded most expectations, although the emotional recovery has taken longer than the physical."
That emotional toll remains central to her experience. "The invisible scars have been the hardest to manage," Alexander said. "The trauma, PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] and emotional toll have lingered the most."
She noted: "Learning to live in a body that has permanently changed, while also holding space for gratitude that I survived, has been an ongoing process."
Do you have a health story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
18 minutes ago
- Newsweek
These Diseases Are on the Rise as Vaccine Rates Decrease
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. vaccination rate is on a steady multiyear decline, with the Centers of Disease Prevention and Control reporting that coverage for all children entering kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year declined for all reported vaccines. The measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine has dropped to 92.5 percent, down from 92.7 percent last year. The overall vaccine exemption rate also climbed to 3.6 percent. Experts are now warning that the declines in vaccine coverage in the United States has led to notable increases in several diseases, including measles, whooping cough and hand, foot and mouth disease. Why It Matters Health authorities, researchers, and global health leaders have warned that continued decreases in childhood vaccinations could reverse decades of progress in controlling these illnesses, resulting in higher rates of infection, hospitalizations, and preventable deaths. According to the CDC, small declines in coverage have already contributed to localized outbreaks, while modeling studies predict far greater spread if the trend continues. One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025,... One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. MoreWhat To Know The falling immunization rates are already making an impact on U.S. public health, doctors say. In Philadelphia, an uptick in hand, foot, and mouth disease cases closed a local pool and sent numerous children to urgent care. "Each of our centers across the Philadelphia and surrounding county area are seeing multiple cases," Dr. Bob Czincila, medical director of Vybe urgent care, told CBS News, noting that transmission is especially prevalent in day care settings and summer camps. Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection that can be painful, often making it difficult for young children to eat and drink and increasing the risk of dehydration. There is no specific treatment other than symptom relief. South Carolina's Department of Public Health also recently reported a 124 percent increase in whooping cough cases over the past year, with 551 cases confirmed, many among children in child care centers and schools. Health officials advised antibiotics as the primary treatment and emphasized that vaccination remains the best means of prevention. Meanwhile, measles, long declared eliminated in the United States, has seen a resurgence is cases. Texas experienced over 750 cases since January, resulting in at least two deaths. These outbreaks have primarily originated in communities with low vaccination rates. JAMA modeling studies and CDC data show regional drops in childhood immunizations; for example, kindergarten coverage for measles, polio, whooping cough, and chickenpox fell from 95 percent before the pandemic to below 93 percent afterward, with some states experiencing much larger declines. Epidemiologists warn that drops in vaccination not only increase individual infection risk, but also threaten herd immunity, leaving newborns, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly particularly vulnerable. "It is not so common in patients over the age of 20, but there are increasing outbreaks. I attribute this to declining vaccination coverage due to misinformation, increased global travel and less healthy lifestyles overall including poor diet," board-certified internist Dr. Amanda Kahn told Newsweek. CDC experts note that disparities in vaccination persist, with lower coverage reported among children from racial and ethnic minorities, economically disadvantaged households, and rural areas. What People Are Saying Board-certified internist Dr. Amanda Kahn told Newsweek: "I am now checking all adult patients for measles immunity given that measles cases are on the rise. Measles is something we typically see in unvaccinated children or infants who are too young to be vaccinated, however I do see waning immunity in adults who were previously vaccinated, and now recommend a booster." Dr. Bob Czincila, medical director of Vybe urgent care, told CBS Philadelphia, regarding the spread of hand, foot, and mouth disease: "Kids are coming in with rashes that are on their fingers, on their hands, they can be on their toes and feet, and then you have oral ulcerations. It makes it difficult for children, especially younger ones, to eat because of how painful and how much they burn... It's primarily in children, but certainly, we have adults that have younger children that may contract it from them, that come in as well too." Mathew Kiang, ScD, assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford Medicine, said in an earlier report: "If vaccination were to fall by even 10 percent today, measles cases would skyrocket to 11.1 million over the next 25 years. If vaccination rates were cut in half, we'd expect 51.2 million cases of measles, 9.9 million cases of rubella, 4.3 million cases of polio and 200 cases of diphtheria over 25 years." What Happens Next Public health experts have emphasized that maintaining or increasing vaccination rates is critical for preventing further disease resurgence. Modeling studies indicate that even a small increase, around 5 percent, in vaccine coverage could dramatically reduce future outbreaks and bring disease levels back toward elimination thresholds. Meanwhile, continued decline could permanently reestablish diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio in the U.S. The CDC and health providers recommend that parents consult with pediatricians to ensure all children are up-to-date on vaccinations.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Florida Officials Sound Alarm on Raw Milk, Children Among 21 Sick
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Six children are among 21 people infected with E. coli or campylobacter after drinking raw milk from a Florida farm, state health officials said Monday. Seven people have been hospitalized, at least two with severe complications, though the Florida Department of Health did not say whether any of the infected children under 10 are among those receiving hospital care, or how many illnesses were caused by each type of bacteria. In a public advisory, officials described the farm's sanitation practices as "of particular concern" but did not name the operation, which is located in northeast and central Florida. A dairy cow is milked at a farm in Newcastle, Maine, Tuesday, March 31, 2015. A dairy cow is milked at a farm in Newcastle, Maine, Tuesday, March 31, 2015. Associated Press Despite longstanding federal warnings that raw milk is one of the "riskiest" foods people can consume, unpasteurized dairy appears to be gaining popularity. The FDA and CDC warn that raw milk is far more likely than pasteurized milk to cause illnesses and hospitalizations because it can contain harmful bacteria such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E. coli. These infections can lead to gastrointestinal illness and, in severe cases, life-threatening complications such as kidney failure — with children, the elderly, immunocompromised people and pregnant women at the highest risk. "We invented pasteurization for a reason," said Keith Schneider, a food safety professor at the University of Florida. "It's maddening that this is happening." In Florida, selling raw milk for human consumption is illegal, but retailers skirt the ban by labeling it as pet or animal food. Schneider called the practice a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" form of regulation, noting that "everybody knows" it is being consumed by people. He said illnesses from raw milk are "not a question of if, but when." This article includes reporting by the Associated Press. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows States Where COVID Is Rising
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. COVID-19 cases are reported to be rising in 27 states and "likely growing" in 12 states more as well as in Washington D.C., according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The national health body warned that COVID-19 infections are estimated to be "growing or likely growing in 40 states [including D.C.], declining or likely declining in zero states, and not changing in nine states," as of July 29. "COVID-19 activity is increasing in many Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern, and West Coast states," the CDC said on August 1. The percentage of positive cases is increasing nationally and while emergency department visits for COVID-19 are low, these visits are rising among all ages. "The current rise in COVID-19 cases is likely multifactorial," Dr. Steven Goldberg, primary care/urgent care physician and chief medical officer at HealthTrackRx—a PCR testing company that works with the CDC to help create fast testing for viruses including COVID-19— told Newsweek. He explained: "Increased summer travel, indoor gatherings due to high temperatures, waning vaccine immunity and the emergence of immune-evasive Omicron subvariants like KP.3 and LB.1 all play a role." "Wastewater surveillance, along with anecdotal reports of increased COVID-19–related ER and urgent care visits, corroborate this increase," Goldberg said. "Notably, real-time transmission estimates (Rt) show values above 1 in most states, indicating active spread." (Rt—the "effective reproduction number"—is an estimate of the average number of new infections caused by each infectious person.) The states with rising cases are each reported to have a more than 90 percent probability that the "COVID-19 epidemic is growing" there. The states with some of the highest probabilities include Florida (99.92 percent), Massachusetts (99.68 percent), Texas (99.52 percent) and Maryland (98.95 percent.) While the current summer wave of cases is less severe than previous peaks, "this surge may intensify further in the fall with back-to-school and return-to-office patterns unless mitigated by vaccine uptake and public awareness," Goldberg warned. The nine states where cases remain unchanged in recent days include Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont. The percent of emergency department visits in these states was reported to be either low or very low, according to the CDC. According to Goldberg, several factors may explain the plateau in these nine states, including lower population density, such as in Montana and Alaska, as well limited large-scale indoor gatherings, and higher vaccine booster uptake. "It's also possible that regional Rt estimates are slightly lagging and may rise in future updates," he noted. The physician says updated vaccines targeting the latest Omicron sublineages, which are expected to emerge in the fall this year, are "essential" for combating rising cases and new variants. He said: "These next-generation vaccines are designed to enhance protection against immune-evasive strains like the Omicron-subvariants KP.3 and LB.1." Goldberg says that while reinstating broad health mandates may not be necessary at this stage, "targeted recommendations are prudent," noting that supporting voluntary masking in healthcare settings, airports, and high-risk indoor gatherings can help reduce transmission. He advises encouraging vaccination, especially for people at high risk as well as those living with high-risk individuals. Newsweek has contacted the CDC for comment via email and its online media contact form. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about COVID-19? Let us know via health@
