The mum of a teenager who is fighting for his life after being pulled from a horror blaze at a derelict pub says his whole family is “devastated and heartbroken.” McKenzie Kiely, 15, was rescued last month along with two other children from a fire at the former Woodman Inn on the A6 London in Hazel Grove, Manchester Evening News reports.
The talented Thai boxer, from Stockport, suffered severe burns and remains in critical condition three weeks after the incident, with his mum Joanna Kiely, 35, keeping vigil at his bedside 24/7. She has now recalled how she waited in terror for ambulances to arrive at the hospital in the aftermath of the inferno and how she "broke down" when she was told of her son's horrific injuries.
She has extended her heartfelt thanks to the heroic fire crews who saved her son's life as well as to family, friends and neighbours who have rushed to support her and McKenzie with numerous fundraising efforts already underway. The parent has also been overwhelmed by messages from well-wishers, including boxer Tyson Fury, who is one of McKenzie's heroes.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Joanna said that Tuesday, July 26 was just a “normal day” with McKenzie having gone out but promising to be home by the usual time of 7.30pm. At around 7.20pm she spoke to him on the phone when he asked to stay out for another hour and asked for his mum to pick up then from the Asda supermarket, which is just a few hundred yards from the Woodman building.
However, when she came to call him to arrange a lift there was no answer. “I was starting to worry,” she said. “So I just about to set off from mine and start looking for him and ask if anyone had seen him when I got a phone call saying McKenzie had been in a fire and they were taking him to hospital.
“At this point, I was crying, hysterical, I didn’t know what was going on and I was struggling to get my head around it. I went to Stepping Hill at first and was running around the back of every ambulance that arrived to see if it was him.”
She was then informed he was being taken to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and was taken there herself. “Before I got there I wasn’t sure what to expect but when I did it, it was like a war or something,” she said. “There were doctors and nurses everywhere, police outside. It was horrific.
"Seeing him all bandaged up from head to toe was heartbreaking. I just broke down and slumped to my knees. It’s not something I’d want any parent to ever have to go through.”
McKenzie suffered extensive burns in the fire including full-thickness burns to his hands, arms, shoulders, back and part of his face. He was unconscious when he was brought out of the building and was placed into an induced coma shortly after arriving at hospital, which he has now remained in for 20 days.
He was transferred to Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool where he has undergone three major life-saving operations. Joanna is staying at the Ronald McDonald House accommodation at the hospital as she spends every day at his bedside.
“It’s just devastating. Our lives have just been turned upside down, I’m not coping well at all. I just feel broken by it all,” she said. “I just feel so sad for him. He’s only 15 was just about to start his last year at school and do his GCSEs.
“ I feel for my other son, McKenzie’s brother Levi, as well. It’s devastated him. He’s been to visit but it’s very hard for him and also I’m away in a different city.
“But we just thank god that McKenzie is still with us. I’d love to speak to the firefighters who rescued him and thank them because they saved his life. If they hadn’t got him out of there he’d have died.”
All three children were described as being in a critical condition by police in a statement released the day after the incident. No further updates on their condition or the investigation into the fire, which detectives believe was started deliberately, have been released since.
Joanna has now issued a warning to parents and kids alike, saying her son’s plight is an example of the dangers derelict buildings pose. “As far as I knew he was in the park playing with friends, and that’s where I was happy for him to be," she said.
"I didn’t have any idea, any clue that he was going to do something like exploring a building. So if I’m not aware I’m presuming there’s a lot of parents out there whose kids have gone out and they think they are in one place and in fact they are somewhere else.
"And look what can happen. It’s hard when they are teenagers, but they need to be made aware of the dangers and what can happen if they do enter broken buildings, derelict places.
“It could have been anyone. It was just a tragic accident that should never have happened. And it’s just so unfortunate. Anyone could have been there at that time and got caught in it, not just ours so people just need to be aware these things can happen.”
When he eventually leaves the intensive care unit, Joanna has been told McKenzie will have to remain on the High Dependency Burns Unit for the “foreseeable future.” Two close family friends, Terri Burns and Nat Wyciszkiewicz set up a GoFundMe fundraising page on McKenzie's behalf.
So far they have raised over £1,600 of their £5,000 target. All donations will go towards things needed for McKenzie’s rehabilitation and recovery.
“He’s got a very long road ahead of him,” Joanna said. “We don’t yet know what the full effects of his injuries will be but we know it’s going to be tough. There will likely lots of things he needs to help with his recovery so this will be a huge help and I’m so grateful.”
Joanna added she had been “overwhelmed” at the way people had supported them and by the huge numbers of messages McKenzie and her family had received. She said: “My whole family have been amazing.
"My mum Marie and my auntie Kathleen have stayed with me every day. My four brothers and father have been here every day as well.
"We’ve had family visiting from as far away as London and Ireland. My neighbour Joules has been going into my house and feeding my cats and cleaning the house for me.
“And I’ve had so many messages, not just from people I know but the wider community as well. I’ve been overwhelmed by it all and have burst into tears reading a lot of them as I was so touched that people I didn’t know said they were thinking of us and had taken the time to reach out.”
They include world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, a hero of McKenzie’s, who attends the 2 Technical Muay Thai boxing club in Reddish. Fury sent him a video message saying “Hi McKenzie, Hope you get well soon son. All the best. Good luck, god bless you.”
“He loves Tyson Fury and watches all his fights,” Joanna said. “So he’ll be absolutely over the moon with that and it will put a smile on his face when I’m able to show it to him."
To make a donation to the fundraising appeal for McKenzie click here.
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