A woman who burned 40 percent of her body in a horrifying incident has shared images of how her recovery is going.
Abigail “Abbey” Alexander survived a devastating gas station explosion in Cambodia that left her with third-degree burns over 40% of her body.
Abbey, then 18 and living in Siem Reap as a teacher, was riding a motorcycle with British colleague Zoe Eleftheriou when disaster struck in August 2019.
A petrol tanker delivering 440 gallons of fuel exploded at a gas station, engulfing them both - and 11 local bystanders.
Abbey recalled to MailOnline: “I spent a long few weeks on the ventilator, I even managed to pull out my breathing tube at one point. I struggled with hallucinations and 'false memories' and it took a long time for me to be able to decipher what was real and what was not.”
At the hospital, several mistakes compounded her suffering. She was submerged in ice water - now known to worsen burns - and had an IV drilled into her bone without pain relief.
Large burns covered nearly half her body, and she was intubated for weeks, enduring daily battles just to breathe and eat.
Eventually, bureaucratic hurdles were overcome: “Getting a medivac plane that could handle flying 23 hours was a challenge in itself but the state department did an amazing job at getting that accomplished.”
Once back in the U.S., Abbey spent months at a burn unit in Denver.
Her recovery involved grueling physical and emotional work - particularly as she adjusted to life with scars, a shaved head, and a new physical reality.
She shared: “I am now active in the burn survivor community where I try and encourage others with my story,” adding, “I try to constantly live every day like it could be my last.”
By 2023, Abbey had embraced life again, describing herself as a “burnt bad b****.”
She celebrated being engaged to her long-term boyfriend, Austin Michael, and pregnant, exclaiming: “Almost 5 years post burn! Didn’t know how I’d ever live a normal life or be happy again. Now I’m engaged, pregnant, and happier than ever.”
She welcomed their daughter in November.
In a powerful Reddit post on Made Me Smile, Abbey reflected on her journey with a six-photo gallery showing her evolution - from bandaged survivor to smiling mom with minimal scarring.
She captioned the series: “Almost six years post burn!!”
Photos included Abbey in bandages, walking with a doctor’s help, her lying in a hospital bed, connected to an IV, a hospital selfie featuring burn-covered face, Abbey on vacation in swimwear, proudly holding a fish, her scars visible but her spirit undimmed, and a snap of her newborn daughter in her arms.
She also included a smiling selfie showing how her facial scarring had nearly faded.