A boy who spent 83 days in the hospital after suffering burns in a fire that claimed his mother’s life is finally leaving the hospital.
Jerry Valdivia Jr., 7, finally left La Rabida Children’s Hospital with his father and sister Thursday after undergoing intense rehab for severe burns that covered 25 percent of his body.
“Being able to tell everyone that my son is coming home with me is amazing,” said the boy’s father, Jerry Valdivia.
Scar tissue under his arms affect his range of motion, which he's been working more than 3 hours per day to improve.
“Since coming, he's regained a tremendous amount of his physical capabilities and his resilience has returned,” Dr. Michael Hobaugh said.
The boy suffered the burns when a fire destroyed his family's Little Village home back on July 10th. Jerry's mom, Korissa, died in the fire while shielding him and his little sister from the flames and heat.
The fire is believed to have started near a bedroom on the first floor and took more than 20 minutes to put out. The cause of the fire was under investigation Friday morning.
“How many kids can actually say their mom's a super hero?” Jerry Valdivia said.
The three will be together as a family to celebrate at home on what would've been Korissa's 25th birthday on Monday.
“They're my wife,” Jerry Valdivia said. “They're my life. She lives through them.”
