Ekalaka boy recovering after suffering severe burns

It hasn't even been two weeks since nearly two-year-old Eben Whitney was severely burned in an accident at his home in Ekalaka.

Now, according to his parents Casey and Seth, he is healing nicely and will be headed home with his family on Thursday.

"Eli and I are headed to Billings today," Seth told the Eagle on Wednesday morning.

"We fly to Salt Lake tonight and we'll all be headed back home tomorrow."

The incident occurred on February 25th when Eben managed to knock a styrofoam cup of boiling water off of the kitchen counter and onto himself. As a result, he suffered second-degree burns to nearly 15 percent of his body. After the accident, Eben was taken to Dahl Memorial Healthcare in Ekalaka before being life-flighted to the burn unit in Salt Lake City.

Casey was able to fly with Eben to Salt Lake. Seth, who was visiting his parents in Miles City at the time of the accident, didn't make it back to Ekalaka before the flight left and had since remained at home with the couple's other son, four-year-old Eli.

Last Wednesday, Eben underwent a RECELL procedure. RECELL is an innovative approach for thermal burn treatment that enables doctors to treat burns using a small piece of the patient's own skin. It uses spray-on skin cells that are sprayed directly on second-degree burn injuries or applied in combination with meshed autografts for third-degree burn injuries.

Seth said that the procedure and ensuing hospital stay usually end up being around three or four weeks, but with new technology patients are now able to go home sooner, as is the case with Eben, who has been in the hospital for less than two weeks. The bandages from the initial procedure were removed on Monday.

Casey's mother drove from Burbank to Salt Lake City after the incident in a motor-home. Seth said the family will be using that motor-home to make the trip back home to Ekalaka on Thursday.

"Eben still has some limited motion. We figured the most comfortable way for him to travel would be in the motor-home."

The family is ready to be reunited.

"I asked Eli this morning who he was more excited to see," Seth said. "He said he wants to see Eben even more than mom."

It has been difficult for the family to be apart, but Eben's improvements and support from Seth and Casey's coworkers at Ekalaka Public Schools, as well as the rest of the Ekalaka community, has helped them get through it.

A GoFundMe page that was started shortly after the incident had raised nearly $29,000 as of Wednesday morning. Summit National Bank in Ekalaka is also handling deposits for those who would like to contribute locally and avoid the fee taken by the online fundraising platform.

Additionally, St. Elizabeth Lutheran Church in Ekalaka has organized a pancake supper and silent auction benefit for the Whitney family. The event will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 18th in the Carter County High School Tuggle Room.

Funds raised will help to offset the enormous cost of the life-flight as well as the rest of the medical bills and travel costs incurred.

"We're just beyond blessed with the support from the community and the churches and other organizations that have helped. Eli and I also had meals brought to us which was helpful. I didn't have to worry about cooking. People also did some cleaning so Casey can come home without a mess. We hope to be there next Saturday, depending on how he [Eben] is feeling."

Items for the silent auction can be dropped off at CCHS with Amy Walker. Checks for the benefit should be mailed to: Kim Tooke, P.O. Box 113, Ekalaka, MT 59324 (please make checks payable to St. Elizabeth Lutheran Church). For general questions about the benefit, please contact Lynn Williams at 406-975-6806.