Burned and abandoned as a child, Menifee man’s amazing story continues
Levi Bentley’s car was in bad shape and it was constant. The car was a certain citrus variety, as in lemon.
For most people, recurring car trouble is one of life’s biggest headaches.
For Levi, it was no big deal.
When you’re badly burned as a 6-week old baby and abandoned in a remote field in northern China and made it, car trouble is nothing.
Levi somehow survived that horrific start to life and now is a 20-yearold Menifee resident who works at a car parts store, plans to soon attend Mt. San Jacinto Community College and perhaps transfer to USC, from which his mom, Lisa Misraje, has a master’s degree in public administration.
Levi has endured about 50 surgeries while recovering from his horrific burn injuries.
Growing up adopted and the youngest of six kids, he’s also used to doing things on his own — from teaching himself to swim to riding a bike to dealing with that awful car.
“Each time he was the model kid,” Lisa said of Levi. “He just goes with the flow.”
She wrote a book about his life, “Saving Levi,” that’s in its fifth printing and has been translated into three languages. His is a story a lot of people can appreciate. It can be found on the website they’ve made, savinglevi. com.
She’s also working to have a movie made about their tale, which started when baby Levi was found by villagers, suffering from third-degree burns on over 70% of his body.
The same time, 2002, Lisa was in China with her then-husband starting an orphanage for special-needs children. Hospital officials contacted her, she arrived, their eyes met, and if it sounds like a movie, well, that’s what they hope to make.
Lisa was so touched that she told authorities she wanted to be Levi’s advocate. They said she was crazy. He wasn’t going to make it.
Like she was going to listen. A deeply religious woman, Lisa recalled reading the baby random biblical verses, including one that made her think God had a different plan for Levi.
“I got the distinct feeling he was directing me to praise him in advance for saving this little boy who had been left to die but God had destined him to live,” she said.
More destinies came in the name she chose: Levi. She initially liked the sound of it and later learned it means to “bind and unite.” United they are, together proving those first doctors wrong.
Obstacle after obstacle they overcame, from getting him into this country because he could get better care, to those surgeries to get him to where he’s at, to the gawking he’s experienced because he looks different.
Levi said: “I see it every day from little kids to grown adults giving me the side eyes and many even asking, ‘What happened,’ ‘How’d it happen,’ etc.”
His lower face still has scar tissue, his left arm is gone at the elbow, his right hand has just a thumb and three half fingers, and toes on his left foot are missing. What matters more is what Levi seemingly knows about his life: He’s alive and everything else will take care of itself. He was even featured in a Nike TV ad for last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. So much for his different appearance holding him back.
His mom remains his biggest advocate. Early on, she taught him to be independent and Lisa said she was harder on him than any of her other kids. She remembers when wellmeaning adults would try to help him as a toddler and he declined.
He would say, “I big boy and I do it myself.”
Levi appreciates her tutelage.
“She’s my rock and the strongest person I’ve ever known,” he said.
As for the problematic car, Levi doggedly kept at it with his own repairs, learning from online videos and friends. He finally conceded last month and got rid of it.
Levi never seemed to mind the hassles. Car issues are nothing.