Burns survivor home
A Whakaari/White Island tour guide injured in last year’s eruption has been released from hospital.
Whakatane’s Jake Milbank suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body when the volcano erupted on December 9, killing 21 people.
The 19-year-old was on the island taking a tour for White Island Tours and was among those rescued from the island by White Island Tours boat skippered by Paul Kingi. He had been in hospital ever since, but shared an update on his Givealittle page on Friday saying he was now home.
‘‘It is a shame to be going out of almost four months isolation, straight back into isolation, but it is just good to be home.’’
During his time in hospital, Milbank managed to rack up a whopping 25 trips to the operating room.
‘‘I must say, my surgeons have done a remarkable job,’’ he wrote. ‘‘I was told that when it came to possible infections, it wasn’t a matter of if, but rather when.
‘‘I was fortunate enough to go this entire time without a single infection or setback, which is absolutely amazing.’’
When he was first admitted to hospital his family were told he could be in intensive care for at least three to four months and his stay in hospital could go on as long as six months or more.
‘‘To be able to walk out of hospital in less than four months after sustaining 80 per cent burns is almost unheard of, and I owe it all to my amazing team of doctors, nurses, physios and occupational therapists for getting me out in what must be almost record time.’’
While there was still a very long road ahead of Milbank in terms of rehabilitation and recovery, he said with the help of his family and friends, as well as worldwide support, he knew he would get there one day.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced the last patients remaining in the National Burns Unit after the eruption had left the unit, located at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital.
Other patients from the eruption were still being cared for within the healthcare system elsewhere in the country.
Ardern paid tribute to those working at Middlemore for their efforts in the wake of the eruption.
‘‘I visited Middlemore just before Christmas and met with some of the staff and some of the family and they do incredible work ... I want to thank all of the health sector across the country who were involved in that response.’’
After the eruption, 13 injured patients were later transferred to Australia and another six to their home countries. There were 47 people on the island when it erupted. – additional reporting RNZ