Joel Sonnenberg- Over 85% of His Body Burned

Aria · #1 ● 01-31-2010, 06:32 PM

When Joel was 2 in September 15, 1979, his life was instantly changed. While in the car with his parents, a tractor-trailer rammed into a line of cars at a toll booth. Trapped in his infant car-seat, Joel's body was in the mercy of the flames, which showed next to none. What was left of the burning car was a smoldering infant body stuck to the plastic of the car-seat. Luckily, they were near the Shriners Burn Hospital in Boston.

After much time in the hospital and many skin grafts, Joel was finally allowed to return home. As he is quoted saying, "I couldn’t walk, talk, feed myself, or do anything that a two year old could do, except scream, laugh, and love. I also had many small and large open wounds on my body that hadn’t healed, as well as dressing changes, splints, physical therapy sessions, ace bandages for pressure on scars, eye lubricant, and skin lubricant."

His fingers, toes, and ears and lips burned away, but wants no pity. He has undergone 45 surgeries. The doctors gave him next to no chance to live. His mother, Janet, hung the image of Joel and his sister, Margaret, above his crib at the hospital because he had been burned beyond recognition.

He is a public speaker and appeared on "Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye." His website shows much more. I was not able to get the pictures from the website, but there is a very good photo gallery in the site.

He has written a book, and is a motivational speaker.

This is his site: http://www.joelsonnenberg.com/pages/

Here is the part of the site with the photo gallery: http://www.joelsonnenberg.com/pages/community.asp

This is another informational site: http://archive.seacoastonline.com/20..._12special.htm

Here are a few pictures of him:

The first black and white one is of him and his family.

That is his wife, Maria.

b00 · #2 ● 01-31-2010, 07:12 PM

poor guy, he did come out looking alot better than alot of other burn victims

satanic-cumshot · #3 ● 01-31-2010, 08:32 PM

poor man

ShilaNorris · #4 ● 01-31-2010, 09:25 PM

Sorry, this has nothing to do with the post, but is your name pronounced like mariah without the "m"? As in Tom Araya of Slayer? That's my little girls name. Never seen anyone with it 'cept Slayer's front man. Cool! ....carry on ya'll.

Aria · #5 ● 01-31-2010, 09:36 PM

Sorry, this has nothing to do with the post, but is your name pronounced like mariah without the "m"? As in Tom Araya of Slayer? That's my little girls name. Never seen anyone with it 'cept Slayer's front man. Cool! ....carry on ya'll.

Ha, my name is pronounced differently than hers, but I like your little girl's name too! Even though it's spelled the same, mine is actually pronounced "Air-ree-uh," sort of like "Ariel," but with a different ending. Yeah, it is an unusual name. I like it.