Kelly Boozan holds her puppy, Mo, at her Hamilton home Dec. 16, 2011, eight weeks after her accident. (Photo by Suzette J. Lucas.)

By Nicole Malczan

A young Hamilton woman with a predilection for snowboarding and parachuting out of airplanes has now been described by a family member as “having to learn what her limitations are.”

The girl who once had spent time drawing and socializing with friends now experiences crippling pain, limited range of motion in her right arm, and wears compression clothing 23 hours a day, only that last hour left open to allow her body to air out and move somewhat more freely.

Described as full of life, laid back and easy to get along with by friends and family, Kelly Boozan, a 21-year-old Steinert High School graduate, was like many others celebrating Halloween weekend, decked out in full costume. While cooking a meal for herself on the night of Oct. 30, her costume caught fire, resulting in severe burns on her chest, back, arms and hands.

She was quickly sent from Monmouth University, where she studies physical therapy and health studies, to Monmouth Hospital. Later, she was transported to St. Barnabas in Livingston, an ICU burn unit.

Her stay at St. Barnabas extended from Halloween to Nov. 28, where she was visited by a slew of family members, some of whom never even left the facility until Boozan returned.

Boozan is now back at home with her family, which includes her aunt Cindy Rockerford, her mother Dot and father Chris Boozan, her brothers Jimmy and Chris Boozan, Chris’ fiancée Alyssa Czyzyk and Boozan’s boyfriend Sean Kliemich. Her road to recovery has been long and arduous, one that has culminated in three surgeries thus far. Most of these had been major skin grafting to begin to heal her second and third degree burns from the accident. Flesh from her calves and buttocks was used for grafting purposes.

Compression clothing is also needed, and changing in and out of the clothing is a very painful process, Dot said. Boozan’s other daily care includes application of creams, bandaging and a neck collar which supports and holds up her skin. Boozan may be able to “do more on her own,” as Dot said, but her healing process will be a long one.

Boozan is engaging in physical therapy twice a week to readjust and heal her body after the burns. Rockerford describes this as a “slow process” that is being taken one body part at a time. She has begun therapy on her hands, and has recently progressed to her neck and her arms as well. The process sometimes includes exercise with a medicine ball, and is helping Boozan to regain some range of motion in her body.

“There’s a willingness to get back to normal,” Rockerford said.

Although the road ahead of her will be trying and difficult in the months ahead, Boozan’s family and friends foster hope that she will make a full return to Monmouth for the spring semester, where she will finish up the rest of her senior year of college.

“We’re trying to get her back in school by mid-January,” Dot said.

Boozan will need assistance in taking notes and getting to and from her classes. However, those closest to her believe that it’s her next attainable goal.

The Boozan family can’t even begin to fathom the cost of the accident, the fees of which include hospital, medical and other bills, equipment, doctor’s trips, hotel stays for her family when Boozan was in the hospital, physical therapy, compression clothing—which, according to Dot, Boozan will require for up to a year—and also for the costs that will eventually add up in the coming months for her recovery.

In the interim, a Care For Kelly Fund has been created by the Boozan family through a website located at careforkelly.yolasite.com.

Those who are interested in assisting the Boozans can help in a number of ways, such as donating through PayPal to the Care For Kelly Fund, the proceeds of which go directly towards Boozan’s continuing care.

The family has had the help of local businesses that will be showing their support at specified times and locations by opening tables to collect donations and sell related wares. Some businesses that have chipped in include Jack’s Bar and Grill, which hosted a fundraiser. Steinert High School hosted an event with Santa, and sent all the proceeds to the Boozans. A local hair salon will be selling colored hair extensions for $10, while Boozan’s friends are selling tailor-made bracelets through the website for $5 apiece.

Upcoming planned fundraisers and events include a casino night and bar-crawl, and T-shirts also created by Boozan’s friends will be on sale at these events. The proceeds from all items go directly to the fund.

“Kindness is still alive,” said Rockerford, touched at the effort that the community has put forth for her niece.

Another option for anyone who wishes to donate is to give blood. With each surgery that Boozan has had to undergo, replacement blood has been required. The Boozan family is looking for either O positive or negative blood specifically.

A number of locations throughout New Jersey have been designated as donor centers, such as the Shrewsbury Donor Center in Shrewsbury, the Howell Donor Center in Howell and the Toms River Donor Center in Toms River. They need 14 donors per week and 10 pints of blood per surgery, so the Boozan family welcomes any and all contributions.

For more information, go online to careforkelly.yolasite.com or email care4kelly@gmail.com.