Walking a Familiar Path

For Josh and Malakai Clark, walking a familiar path means facing the same trauma across generations – but with ABF’s support, that path leads towards healing for both.

A Thanksgiving Turned Tragic

It was Thanksgiving Day, and Josh Clark had just sat down for dinner when his phone rang. Seeing it was his boys’ mother – who he shares custody with – he immediately knew something was wrong.

“I just had a gut feeling something bad had happened,” Josh said. He was right.

Josh learned that his two boys were playing in the backyard when his son, Malakai, who was six at the time, lost his balance and fell hands-first into a firepit whose coals were still hot.

“I immediately panicked,” said Josh.

History Repeating Itself

It wasn’t just a parent’s intuition – it was a trigger. Nearly 30 years ago, when Josh was four years old, a water heater at his grandmother’s house exploded, resulting in third-degree burns on two-thirds of his body. At the time, he had less than a 30 percent chance of surviving, spending four months in the hospital. He knew that the road ahead for Malakai would be challenging.

He immediately jumped into the car and drove from Safford to the Willcox hospital. Malakai was in agony, suffering burns to his right hand, fingers and up his arm. His left hand and fingers were also burned, though the injuries were comparatively mild. Unfortunately, the hospital wouldn’t be able to transfer Malakai for several hours. So, with doctor approval and Malakai made comfortable enough to withstand travel, Josh drove him to Banner University Medical Center’s Burn Center in Tucson.

The Long Road to Recovery

The next week was spent in the hospital, where Malakai underwent skin grafts on his right hand and leading up his arm. “I immediately took a month of unpaid leave from work for all of the appointments,” said Josh. Those appointments over the next six months required driving 129 miles from Safford to Tucson twice a week for therapy.

That’s when Ximena, ABF’s Burn Care Support Coordinator based in Tucson, stepped in – providing nearly $1,000 in gas cards alone, along with lodging for early morning surgeries and even assistance with January’s mortgage. “I learned of ABF through a mutual acquaintance and without them and their support, we were looking at draining our entire savings,” said Josh.

A Father’s Mission to Raise Awareness

For Josh, sharing his and Malakai’s story is critical. “I want to raise awareness – this can happen to anyone. If other parents read this and this can help them, that is all I want.”

Today, Malakai is thriving. He hasn’t lost his ability to make people laugh and recently signed up for flag football – a big step for the young sports enthusiast whose injuries made it once difficult to grip even the simplest gear.

The experience has brought the Clark family closer and their journey is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, especially with a community of support.

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