Mark’s Journey of Resilience: The Art of Giving Back

The day before his 70th birthday, Mark Dearth found himself facing a life-altering emergency when an explosion on his rural Arizona property led to serious burns on his right leg and hand. Over the last six months, Mark has embraced the healing power of art and channeled his energy to give back to his newfound community.

Around eight years ago, Mark and his family moved to Arizona on recommendation from a physician after Mark nearly lost his life to COPD from the frigid Wisconsin winters. Being in a completely new environment, his family adapted to desert living by learning how to access water and dispose of trash since their property is not connected to a city water or waste management system. On a typical day in May 2024, Mark was burning his family’s trash in a contained firepit as usual. Unfortunately, an aerosol can was missed during the trash sorting process. Once heated, the can exploded and landed in a nearby grassy area which caught fire. Mark immediately jumped into action to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading further. In doing so, Mark tripped and fell into the fire, burning his right leg and hand. Luckily, he was able to extinguish the flames on his body by rolling on the ground. Despite his injuries, Mark continued to fight the fire. As a former Sherrif’s deputy, Mark stated, “You’re training takes over.” He remained in action until the fire department arrived and paramedics forced him to leave the scene to seek treatment.

Mark was flown to the Arizona Burn Center where it was determined he had sustained burns to 5.5% of his total body surface area. After two days, Mark was discharged home, about an hour drive away. Once home, he struggled to walk due to the excruciating pain. The following week, Mark attended his first follow-up appointment with the Burn Clinic where he was urgently admitted to the Arizona Burn Center for a second time after it was found that his burns had converted. During this hospitalization, Mark underwent surgery for a skin graft. After 10 days, he was discharged to an acute rehab facility for further wound care and physical therapy before returning home.

In the subsequent weeks, Mark continued to attend regular follow-up appointments at the Burn Clinic and complete dressing changes at home. During this time, the Arizona Burn Foundation (ABF) supported Mark by providing transportation assistance so he could make the long drive to the Burn Clinic. As soon as the wounds on his right hand were closed, Mark found solace by returning to his hobby of woodworking. He shared, “This is my therapy.” Mark explained that getting back into woodworking has not only helped improve the mobility in his hand but has also provided a helpful distraction while he manages the pain from nerve damage on his right leg.

Mark has always been dedicated to giving back to his community. Prior to his burn injury, he made custom wood pieces for local veterans, policemen, and firefighters. To show his appreciation for ABF and give back to his fellow burn survivors, Mark created handcrafted items out of recycled pallet wood for the silent auction at the 2024 Festival of Trees. The largest item he created was an American firefighter flag in honor of the firefighters who are such an integral part of the burn community. ABF is incredibly grateful for Mark’s donation which helped contribute to the overall success of the fundraiser, allowing ABF to continue supporting burn survivors like Mark for the next year to come.