A man who became 'a human fireball' after being electrocuted by an 11,000 volt shock has spoken of how he 'saw his life flash before his eyes' before lying dead for several minutes.
Darren Harris had been collecting scrap while urban exploring an old steel works in Wolverhampton when he stumbled upon a switchboard and electric mains in November 2020.
Believing they were off as the building was abandoned and set to be demolished, the 29-year-old grabbed a live copper bar and was immediately "catapulted" across the room by the electric shock.
After lying dead for several minutes, Darren incredibly regained consciousness and was able to get back to the roadside, where he threw himself in front of a passing ambulance.
Now 18 months later, doctors have dubbed him as a medical miracle after he survived third degree burns across 47 per cent of his body, which left the bone exposed in both arms.
For several minutes scaffolder Darren said he was laid dead on the floor, but recalls the moment he came back to life and saw his whole body on fire.
Darren from Manchester told The Mirror : "I put my hand on the bar and my body was catapulted across the room.
"My life flashed before my eyes and I was dead for a few minutes.
"I don't know what brought me back but I remember waking up and my whole body was on fire, I was a human fireball.
"I ran for my life and somehow managed to scale a 10ft fence not knowing the damage that had already been done to my body.
"My forearms were completely debrided, I could see right to the bone.
"My face was hanging off like a flap and my windpipe was exposed.
"I was stood on the side of the road for a couple of minutes when an ambulance came round the corner.
"I threw myself in front of it and the next thing I remember is waking up 27 days later."
Darren had been transported to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where he had been placed in an induced coma as doctors battled with his injuries including multiple organ failure and sepsis.
Experts performed 23 surgeries including skin grafts, a craniotomy to relieve pressure from his brain and a pioneering surgery to apply artificial skin, known as Biodegradable Temporising Matrix, to his burns.
Darren claims the surgeons told him they had "never seen anything like it" in their 30 year long careers.
As a result of his burns, Darren has been left with no nose or ears, and has also lost mobility in both hands, leaving him unable to work.
Disfigured by his injuries, Darren has battled depression and suicidal thoughts, but says he came to realise he had been given a "second chance".
Now he has launched a GoFundMe to pay for pioneering surgery to 3D print a live reconstruction of his ears using his stem cells.
Darren said: "I have been through the worst pain in my entire life, I can't even describe it, and was left in a terrible state.
"I've struggled to go out and socialise, I'm conscious about the way I look and I've thought about suicide during my recovery.
"But then I realised those surgeons didn't put all that time into me and save my life for me to waste it.
"I have been given a second chance at life and I'm grateful to be here.
"I want to tell my story and inspire people and show them that they can get through the hardest thing in their lives and still come out the other side."
To donate to Darren's GoFundMe click here
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