Stories

John McDermott is a Taupō builder and burns survivor who endured a life-altering accident in 2022 when a fire-lighting mishap resulted in burns to 40% of his body. After 13 weeks in hospital, 15 surgeries, and a long road to recovery, John now shares his story to raise awareness and support others through the Burn Support Charitable Trust. His strength, humility, and deep love for his family continue to inspire everyone who hears his journey.

I was just 14 months old when I fell into a bath of scalding water. I suffered third-degree burns on my body. That moment changed everything. It marked the start of a lifetime of skin grafts, surgeries, and slow, painstaking healing—not just of skin, but of spirit. But here's the truth: my scars never defined me. If anything, they’ve become one of the most powerful things about me. They speak to strength. To resilience. To growth I earned the hard way. My parents gave me a gift early on: they never let my scars take centre stage. We only talked about them when surgery came around. The rest of the time? Life was for living. Not for dwelling. Not for wishing. Just getting on with it. And honestly, what would be the point in wishing things were different? Unless someone invents a sci-fi medical wand to magically smooth it all away, my skin is mine. It’s been through something. So I decided to own it. That decision shaped everything.
Because I didn’t treat my scars like a flaw, no one else did either. Confidence has a way of rewriting the room. The energy you show up with tells people how to meet you. I learned early: when you lead with who you are—open, unfiltered, unafraid—people see you. Not your history. Not your scars. Just you.
I grew up adventurous, quick to laugh, and unwilling to let anything hold me back. I didn’t need ink to tell my story—my skin already did. These marks are not a burden. They’re my record of survival. They show what I’ve endured, what I’ve overcome, and who I’ve become. I never saw them as something to hide. They’re part of me, and I carry them with pride. And so, I lived. I played sport. I went to university. I launched businesses. I chased down dreams—and a few very good-looking distractions along the way. I chose movement over fear, joy over self-doubt. My life has never been about what held me back. It’s about what pulled me forward.
Today, my proudest achievements aren’t framed on a wall—they’re the ones I hold closest: my beautiful family, and a husband who knows me, sees me, and loves every part of me. I know how lucky I am. Not just to have survived—but to have healed young, and deeply. That emotional freedom gave me space to grow into myself. Fully. Fiercely. Authentically. I never waited for perfect timing or perfect circumstances. Because life doesn’t wait. And neither do I.

My name is Jovana Stankovic and I am privileged enough to have gone to Camp Awhi since I was nine years old. In 2017 I was severely burnt by a treadmill, and did not realise this support for children like me existed until I was asked to join in 2019, which I gladly accepted. I vividly remember my first camp in Napier being the highlight of my year, and it still continues to be even seven camps later. Furthermore, I was lucky enough to be one of the two children chosen to attend the Kids Foundation camp in Brisbane, Australia, which was my first time going. This healthy environment blossomed friendships and  experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life, and wouldn’t have experienced without the Burn Support Charitable Trust providing this kind of opportunity for me. When I graduate in 2028 I plan to give back the support I was given by becoming a volunteer leader and helping look after future campers.

My name is Vinesh Samy, I have been a burn survivor for 7 years. I live in Hillsborough, Auckland. I am a painter by profession and do small jobs. I was burnt in September 2018 when I was 45 years old. I had 3 degree burns to half my body, full face 65% burns. I was in a coma for 1 month. Later shifted to the burns unit. After 6 months in hospital, I was able to find a place to stay. It was a big adjustment having to change the way I lived my new normal. It involved moisturizing 3 times a day, wearing pressure garments, and splints on my hands. Pressure garments were something out of nightmares, horrible to wear especially during summer weather. I was supported by the team of new Healthcare, helping me shower, moisturize morning and evening. Surgeries are ongoing, release of both my left and right elbows, fingers, and I hated wearing splints. I was also attending the hospital gym once a week, physical exercise keeping movement of my body. I am thankful to my surgeons for all the work done by the team. It was difficult to face the public with my burnt face but there was a lot of support from the burns OT team. Friends gave me more confidence. People still stare all the time when I walk in public. Sometimes it aggravates me and other times it doesn’t. New people ask questions when they see, what happened? Others don’t bother. So, I let myself face the public, everyone reacts differently, and you learn to expect it.

My old company, whom I was painting with before the accident, supported me a lot, saved me, gave me confidence and small jobs kept me busy. Later I found a friend who helped me, and I helped him. Also, there was a fishing trip organised by the Burn Support Group. It was fun and it meant meeting new friends. I can’t really hide away from the public and their stares, I love to talk, and I've learnt to be happy listening to others. I really like to hear about other people who are like me.