A 16-year-old student-athlete at Heritage High School in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Mason Dark, was horrifically burned over 76% of his body when his makeshift flamethrower he was using during a TikTok challenge exploded.
His mother, Holli Dark, declared that her son is now “unrecognizable.” Mason is currently at the University of North Carolina’s Burn Center and is expected to remain there for at least six months.
Photos of Mason in his hospital room depict him covered in dressings, connected to a ventilator and several other medical devices. He underwent skin graft surgery Wednesday. Holli described the process as “like seeding a lawn” to see the teen gradually heal.
After the explosion, Mason attempted to ease the pain by submerging himself in a river; however, he sustained third-degree burns in the shape of a “T” on his back.
Mason’s grandmother, Heidi Simpson, has updated the public on Mason’s condition. She has described him as a “very active 16-year-old” who plays football at his high school and runs track in the summer and has a job he takes pleasure in, and is looking forwards to getting his driver’s license.
Simpson set up a GoFundMe campaign to finance Mason’s care, which has so far raised over $30,000. She expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support, prayers, and generous donations in a Saturday update.