DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Baby Johnny is a ball of laughter and love, but over the past eight weeks, he's undergone eight surgeries and continues to fight inside Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
"He's a strong baby. I tell him every day I love him and everything is going to be OK," said Kella Simon, who has been by her son's side.
On March 5, the 10-month-old suffered third-degree burns to more than 20% of his small body after his home in Delray Beach caught fire, and the flames spread to a chair Johnny was sitting in.
"On his right hand he ended up losing all his fingers, and on his left hand he only lost the tip of his finger and the middle finger," Simon said.
Investigators said a wire sparked inside the home. The flames spread to curtains, and Johnny's grandmother raced inside to pull him from the burning chair.
Watch WPTV's previous report on the house fire in the video below:
Simon said her baby boy is doing better and he's growing stronger, but there is still a long road ahead.
"When I first got to the hospital, I was being told he wasn't going to make it. But he's here with us today," Simon said.
The medical bills are mounting, and the family's home still sits splintered and charred.
A fundraising effort is now underway to help Johnny and help his family recover.
"I want to thank God, and I want to thank everyone who's donated," Simon said.
If you would like to help the family, click here.
