Nothing quite beats the tenacity of Will Conley.
As the elevator doors in the lobby of Bethany Children’s Health Center slid open in the morning of July 10, the Chandler teen was welcomed by waving pompoms and cheers from over 50 people crowding the space.
He was surrounded by friends, family, teachers, nurses, and so much more. All there to celebrate that after 113 days in hospitals, Will was finally coming home for good.
Standing in the middle of it all, Will, 15, said he was ready.
“He is. We all are,” his mother, Deborah Ferguson, added.
He chatted with the nurses from the burn unit at Integris Health Baptist Medical Center, who helped with his treatment, about getting Taco Bell. He also spent time talking to members of the Chandler wrestling team.
In fact, Will made a point to walk around the group and thank just about everyone there for coming, zooming around at a surprising speed with the help of a walker.
It’s been a long journey.
Will was injured in the March 14 wildfires that spread across Lincoln County and much of the state, experiencing second and third-degree burns on about 67 percent of his body. His father, Allen Ferguson, was also injured and sadly passed away.
The teen spent 82 days at Integris in the pediatrics intensive care unit and the burn unit before moving to Bethany on June 10. During that time, he underwent countless surgeries and skin grafts. Starting on June 21, he was able to make weekend trips home in preparation for leaving the health center.
After two days at home, Deborah said that Will is doing great.
“He is eating and drinking amazingly. Enjoying hanging out with his brothers and family. He is also enjoying our new floors and walking alone everywhere,” she said.
They are focusing on getting his prosthetics created and will continue physical, occupational and speech therapy. He’ll also continue working on his mental health.
Will is most looking forward to getting back to normal as much as possible.
“He’s ready to get back to the wrestling room, Civil War reenactments, driving his car, sewing and playing his guitar,” Deborah said. “He is looking forward to being able to do things on his own and get to being more independent with just daily living and being a teenager.”