80-Year-Old Woman Suffers Severe Burns After Falling Asleep in Sun

An 80-year-old woman has been left fighting for her life after suffering severe burns while lying in the sun.

Betty Lou Summer, from San Tan Valley, Arizona, was at the Johnson Ranch community pool when she fell asleep in a metal chair in 105F heat.

“On Thursday, June 11, my 80-year-old mother suffered a catastrophic accident at her community swimming pool in Arizona,” her daughter Michelle Gabbert said in a GoFundMe appeal.

“She was severely burned and blistered on her chest, arms, legs, abdomen, hands, and feet.

“Initially, we thought she had second-degree burns, but it turns out she also had third-degree burns, needing surgical debridement and skin graft surgery. She was placed on a ventilator and went into septic shock.”

Diagnosed with damage to her liver and kidneys, she was transferred to Valleywise Burn Center in Phoenix in critical condition.

​“When I saw her and saw the condition that she was in, I really didn’t think she was going to pull through because I’ve seen time and time again how this ends up,” Gabbert told KPHO.

Summer has since undergone surgery and her third-degree burns have required the removal of skin and tissue down to the muscle.

​Gabbert said in a GoFundMe page update on June 18 that her mother has since been taken off the ventilator, is no longer on dialysis and shows no signs of brain damage.

However, due to her age, she is at significant risk of infection and poor wound healing. She is expected to remain in the ICU for an extended period of time, her daughter said.

Gabbert described her mother as a “giver” who spent her “entire life doing God’s work.”

“She volunteers to help the homeless and is always giving back to her community,” Gabbert wrote on the appeal page, which has so far raised more than $6,700 of a $16,000 target.

“She is on a very small social security income, and her medical expenses will be an immense burden for her.”

Gabbert told KHPO she wants her mother’s story to be a warning about the dangers of the summer heat.​ “The heat is no joke,” she said.

The Valleywise Burn Center told the outlet older adults and children are more at risk of significant burns during Arizona’s heat each year.

The center also urged people to wear skin protection, keep a close eye on loved ones, carry a blanket, towel or other barrier and to limit time outdoors.