Courtney Waldon would have thought getting severely burned was the most terrifying moment of her life. But she could never realize that this incident was the catalyst to yet another misery.
After this brave woman spent close to two months in the hospital in 2016, she was itching to attach herself to her family.[1] After being in a medically-induced coma, we can hardly judge her for that.
Unfortunately, her husband didn’t want to be with her anymore.
Even in 2019, she wasn’t complaining regarding her rotten luck. Waldon was wistful- she wanted to be with her family for Thanksgiving on the 17th of November. But just a couple of weeks later- her husband decided to walk out on her. We wouldn’t try to assume why her husband did that. Nevertheless, the pain of being abandoned doesn’t really portray her husband in a good light.
In 2017 Courtney Waldon, the abandoned wife, informed People, “I was devastated. I begged for him to come back, but then I realized, after about three weeks of him putting me off, that he wasn’t coming back.” Waldon said that she could feel a part of her life getting burnt, again. “I lost everything, my dignity, my looks, and the person I thought was the love of my life.”
But for those wondering, where did it all go wrong? It all started on a September night, when Waldon sat by a campfire, as her husband put on the grills. While her husband was moving the can of gas around, some of it spilled on her. This led to her catching fire all over her body, as she was covered in giant flames. “I stopped, dropped, and rolled while screaming bloody murder. I thought I was dying.”
This abandoned wife was quite lucky to just be alive. She had suffered through fourth-degree burns that destroyed her face. But that wasn’t all. She also had third-degree burns all over her hands, feet, and legs. Now, we are all for body positivity, but can we really blame her for feeling squeamish? The first time she saw her face after recovery led to her passing out. “I got sick to my stomach”.
Fortunately, Courtney Waldon had her daughter with her. And this tiny pillar of support never let her mother go. Courtney stated, “I was in a very bad place.” And we can speak with certainty that her recovery was all due to the efforts of her daughter. She helped her mother heal from not only her wounds but also the wounds of the heart. This support from one end helped Waldon get a new lease of life. After enduring through a dozen surgeries, Courtney is quite surprised that she is still alive. “I shouldn’t be here. It’s a miracle I survived.”
When Courtney Waldon was interviewed by People in 2019, she had quite a jaunty tune about her life. The PTSD and the depression had been snuffed out of her life, and she was looking forward to enjoying everything that came her way. “I am so blessed. God has done so many good things for me.” What brought that change about? To put it simply, Waldon started taking control of her own life. While she did live with her parents for a few months for her recovery, she soon moved into their own home.
Her home was built by the local church. She also has a GoFundMe page that was set up by Karen, her mother. The amount from her page has reached over $430,000- which is close to her goal of $500,000. Courtney stated, “It’s been a journey but I’m only getting better. My burns don’t define who I am.”
From a place of utter desolation, this ex-wife soon found reasons to live. A house of her own, a delightful partner, a dedicated daughter, a supporting community, and a desire to live her life on her own terms.
