Teammates burned in bonfire accident continue to recover
For Matt Alfaro, it was hard to imagine back in June where he would be as hockey season begins to ramp up this week.
The second-year University of Calgary Dino took part in the team’s first practice of the season Monday, about two-and-a-half months after he and two of his former Lethbridge Hurricanes teammates suffered severe burns during a campfire accident.
“I’m ready to go,” said Alfaro, 22, who suffered second-degree burns to his arm, face and neck. “The first couple days in hospital, doctors didn’t really give a big timeline because you have to wait to see how everything heals. So for a couple days there, it was pretty concerning of when I could go back to school or go back to playing hockey again.”
The accident happened June 15 at the home of former Hurricanes captain Tyler Wong west of Calgary when a campfire exploded. RCMP said turpentine, the extremely flammable solvent commonly used as a paint thinner, was thrown onto the fire.
On Friday, current Lethbridge Hurricanes player Ryan Vandervlis of Red Deer was discharged from hospital. Vandervlis, who suffered burns to half his body in the incident, came out of his medically induced coma in late June but remained in intensive care until mid-July.
At that time, he was able to whisper and communicate through texts. He later moved to the burn unit of Foothills Hospital in Calgary for extensive skin grafting.
Vandervlis tweeted last week he still had “a long road ahead,” but felt “very loved and confident considering everything that has happened.”
“Unit 31 became my home for the summer, and as unfortunate as it is, the doctors, nurses, rehab and support staff have been phenomenal,” he wrote. “I’m feeling extremely lucky to have such amazing doctors and health care professionals at my side, daily.”
An online fundraiser to support Vandervlis’ recovery and cover the costs of meals and living expenses for his family while in Calgary raised more than $75,000.
Hurricanes general manager Peter Anholt said the 20-year-old’s progress has been encouraging, but he’s not expecting Vandervlis to play for the team anytime soon.
“That’s not on the radar, at least in the short term, but I’m not counting him out,” Anholt said. “He’s not one guy that you’d normally bet against. He’s totally focused on getting better and recovering fully. On the time of that, I can’t tell you. We’ll play that by ear. He would have been a big, big part of this team and if he continues to get better, maybe that’s still in the cards.”
Anholt said Vandervlis would undergo a month of outpatient rehab before doctors determine his next steps.
“He’s really, really taken huge steps forward in his rehab,” he said. “He’s really done well and we’re really excited about how he’s progressing.”
Meanwhile, team captain Jordy Bellerive was en route to Pittsburgh on Tuesday to take part in training camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a Hurricanes spokesperson said.
Bellerive had burns to his face, torso and legs, but the most severe were to his hands. The 19-year-old NHL prospect, who signed with the Penguins last September, was told at one point early on he may not play hockey for a year and would likely need a skin graft, but the surgery was called off after his hands healed up.
He scored two goals for the Hurricanes in a WHL pre-season game on Friday and the Penguins announced he’d be in the lineup when the club takes part in a prospect tournament Sept. 7-10 in Buffalo.
“Following extensive rehabilitation, including a 12-day hospital stay, Bellerive is now close to 100 per cent recovered,” the Penguins
stated.
Alfaro, who was first of the three to be released from hospital, said that although he’s now able to skate with his U of C teammates and train pain-free, the burns have changed his routine.
“I started to work again and work out and start training. Really the only difference was I had to stay out of the sun,” he said.
While he’s been through injuries before, this one was an entirely new experience.
“I ended off my 20-year-old season in the WHL by breaking my ankle and I didn’t really get a chance to play in playoffs. I went through that and that was tough mentally, so I’ve had experience with those type of injuries, but something like this was a lot different to go through,” Alfaro said.
“Looking yourself in the mirror and seeing the injuries kinda keeps you down but it healed fast. Anytime you go through something like that, it’s a bit scary.”
Alfaro said it was tough “leaving” his two former teammates behind in hospital, but he continued to visit as much as possible, especially as Vandervlis remained there throughout the summer.
“Every time I saw him, it cheered me up and kept me going. To see him out of the hospital now is big,” Alfaro said. “It keeps me motivated and (I’m) keeping an eye on Ryan. Hopefully he can get back to playing just like me and Jordy. I’m kinda playing for him.”
“It’s nice being on the ice,” he said. “It helps you forget everything else.”