Jennie Stout, a nurse in Ocala, Fla., was finishing an afternoon shift when she got a panicked call from home. Her 13-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, had tripped and fallen into smothered coals left over from burning leaves in their backyard, scorching her hands, knees, and shins.
Ambulance paramedics on the scene when Jennie arrived said that Ashlyn should be sent by helicopter to a burn center in Gainesville for fast treatment.
Jennie was surprised: The hospital was only about 40 miles away and the burns didn’t seem extensive to her. But in that situation, she recalled, “I’m a mom first,” so she didn’t question the decision.