Angelo suffered at home with horrific injuries for months after a tragic accident. Now he is receiving the care he needs after MAF brought him to hospital from his isolated community.
Angelo has suffered in agony with severe burns for over a month but an MAF flight to hospital is giving the eight-year-old access to the specialist treatment he desperately needs.
The adventurous boy with a heart full of curiosity was badly injured after playing with a discarded piece of construction material left by workers in his community. Angelo was burned by acid from unlabelled bottles left on the ground, where they were easily accessible to anyone, including children.
“In the local language, the word acid can refer to any chemical, so it remains unclear what substance caused the burns,” said Jeremy Aitkens. “It’s likely this was a tragic accident, perhaps Angelo or other children were playing with the bottles, unaware of the danger.”
“We can only speculate whether he was balancing one on his head or if another child was playing a prank by pouring something on him.” We pray that no foul play was involved," Jeremy added.
In a place like Europe, he would have been rushed to a hospital, put into a medically induced coma, and treated by a team of doctors, nurses, and specialists
He was engulfed in pain, suffering second and third-degree burns, injuries that would require years of treatment and rehabilitation.
But Angelo lives on Nosy Be – an island off the northwestern coast of Madagascar, with limited access to healthcare. Instead of receiving emergency treatment, Angelo remained at home with only a small amount of pain relief to ease his suffering.
MAF pilot Wouter Nagel arrived at Nosy Be to transport the boy and his aunt to Mandritsara where the Good News Hospital, and MAF’s partner, could provide care.
Despite the unimaginable pain, Angelo’s bravery shone through.
As word spread of Angelo’s situation, the burns charity based in Europe reached out to MAF in France, who in turn contacted the MAF programme in Madagascar.
The MAF flight was a lifesaver for Angelo because travelling by road in his condition was unthinkable.
We don't just fly from A to B; we fly to see change in people's lives
During the long painful periods at home, Angelo’s mother and stepfather did everything in their power to comfort him, with the help of an extraordinary nurse who visited him.
“The road to help Lolo grow up in the best conditions will still be long.”
The conditions at home were dire; the roof of their home had holes, and rats scurried, sometimes leaving droppings on Angelo’s bed. Water had to be fetched from miles away, and his nurse had to clean his wounds on the edge of his bed with makeshift supplies.
He is a hero. But a hero who suffers
As MAF’s Cessna 208 aircraft soared above the island, Angelo felt a sense of safety as he was accompanied by Jeremy Aitken, a compassionate nurse from the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara who joined the pickup flight.
"He played games with my phone in the plane, and held my hand once we landed," Jeremy said.
A few days after the transfer. MAF Madagascar was able to fly essential equipment from the capital Antananarivo to the hospital for the skin grafts Angelo would soon receive.
Angelo’s story is one of courage, community, and the power of partnership. Without the combined efforts of the Burns Foundation, MAF, and the Good News Hospital, Angelo’s future would have been bleak.
But now, Angelo has a chance to heal, grow, and return to his family as a new person. His strength is an inspiration, and as he continues his recovery, all those involved are praying for his full restoration.
I want to fly back to my family after I get better
“To better prepare Angelo for the next steps, the worst burn sites have been cleaned in the operating rooms, giving the upcoming grafts a better chance of success. In the meantime, Angelo is receiving daily dressings to keep the burns clean and covered,” Jeremy added.