Eruption survivors share news of their recoveries
US couple post White Island photo before their lives ‘changed forever’
American tourists who were buried “in volcanic ashes and toxic gases” in the Whakaari/White Island tragedy have shared the last picture taken of them shortly before the volcanic eruption.
Husband and wife Rick and Ivy Kohn Reed suffered critical injuries on December 9 when the volcano, a popular North Island tourism destination erupted underneath them, leading to the deaths of 21 people.
The couple were recently airlifted home to the United States to continue with their recovery from their severe burns.
In an update to a GoFundMe account set up to contribute to support for the couple, Ivy has posted a photo of the pair on White Island just before the eruption.
In it, the Americans are pictured smiling, with Rick’s arm around his wife, while steam rises from the crater behind them.
“This is the last picture taken of us before our lives changed forever,” Ivy writes.
“Approximately 15 minutes after this was taken, the White Island volcano erupted, burying us in hot volcanic ash and toxic gases.
“We survived, were rescued and spent almost eight weeks in a New Zealand Hospital receiving critical care treatment.
“Our dream vacation turned into a nightmare that we are still trying to comprehend.”
Ivy’s brother Barry Kohn revealed late last month that the pair were getting ready to return to the US after numerous surgeries.
Their return home had been delayed while Rick underwent skin regrafts on his ankles and physical therapy to help him start walking.
He suffered burns to 30 per cent of his body in the eruption.
Ivy suffered burns to her right leg, hands and face.
Barry Kohn — who travelled to New Zealand to comfort his loved ones — also shared a photo of his brother at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital, with Barry giving the camera the thumbs up signal.
He wrote on the online fundraiser: “I have been lucky enough to spend the last few days in Auckland with
Ivy and Rick. It has been both heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time.
“I was taken aback when I first saw them with my own eyes, as no one is accustomed to seeing their loved ones laid up and recovering from volcanic burns.
“However, their overall positive attitudes and healthy spirits have really shown through.”
Writing in her own update — her first public comment since the tragedy — Ivy thanks everyone who offered “support, prayers, good wishes, cards, texts, messages and calls”, saying they had “helped us through some tough days”.
But she adds: “The next year will be the hardest of our lives while we try to rehab and regain as much functionality as possible.
“We have returned home! This is happy news we wanted to share, but it is also scary, as we figure out what we can and can’t do.”
She signs off with “Much love”. Meanwhile a fellow survivor, 25-year-old Kiwi tour guide Kelsey Waghorn, also provided an update online about her ongoing recovery, saying she was “doing really well”.
Two days after she was injured when Whakaari spewed steam and toxic gas from its depths, she had grafts to her arms, hands and a small portion of her stomach.
In an update on a Givealittle page set up to support her and her family Waghorn writes: “My legs, lower back and some touch-ups on my upper arms had their donor/cadaver skin removed and were grafted on December 27.”
As this involved harvesting skin from her back and butt a second time, as well as some strips from her upper thighs, Waghorn says the procedures were uncomfortable, “to put it gently”.
“By this stage, I’d been [painfully] upright only twice between these two graftings with a lot of assistance from my beautiful physio, family and a handful of nurses.”
The marine scientist has undergone more than a dozen surgeries. .
“So there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into getting me where I am today after my final graftings.” Two months on from the eruption, Waghorn remains in hospital.
“Monday marks nine weeks since Whakaari decided she would clear her throat. Nine weeks since I received full thickness burns to about 45% of my body. Nine weeks since I lost work colleagues and good friends.”
Fellow guides Tipene Maangi and Hayden Marshall-Inman were killed by the eruption. Tour guide Jake Milbank, 19, remains in Middlemore Hospital, suffering burns to 80 per cent of his body.
“I am fairly mobile now, albeit wobbly and minus some strength,” Waghorn writes. “I am slowly regaining the use of both of my hands — my right is worse than my left. But I’m working on that every day.”
Our dream vacation turned into a nightmare that we are still trying to comprehend. Ivy Kohn Reed