A 7-year-old boy badly burned when his Halloween costume caught fire is undergoing his first skin-graft surgery this morning.
HARRISON TWP. -- A 7-year-old boy badly burned when his Halloween costume caught fire is undergoing his first skin-graft surgery this morning.
Neighbors have launched a fundraiser for Jared Callan, who suffered second- and third-degree burns over 35 percent of his torso, to help cover medical bills for what is expected to be a lengthy recovery.
Callan was attending a Halloween party Saturday afternoon when the sleeve of his costume came in contact with a candle in a jack-o-lantern. Jared ran from the home as his mother followed. She rolled him on the ground to smother the flames, but Jared suffered burns to his arms, chest, neck and face, fire officials reported.
Jared was transported to Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Pennsylvania and has since been transferred to a children's hospital for what will be weeks of treatment.
The first surgery was slated for 9 a.m. today.
"He has three surgeries scheduled so far and will probably need a few more," said neighbor Karen Saporito, who has joined with several other neighbors to launch the GoFundMe drive. As of Wednesday morning, more than $5,000 had been raised toward a goal of $20,000.
Jared's parents, Mike and Selena, have been taking turns staying at the hospital with their son. While one parent is there, the other is back home looking after the couple's other two chidden, Saporito said. Jared faces a minimum of 30 days in the hospital, she said.
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"They're holding it together," Saporito said of Jared's parents.
When word spread of what had happened to Jared, the neighborhood pulled together.
"We have a really tight-knit neighborhood," Saporito said. "It's not hard for us to mobilize."
In addition to the fundraiser, neighbors have organized a dinner chain to ensure the family has meals while they focus on Jared's treatment.
Saporito noted that the Callan family has always been there for other neighbors during times of hardship, whether it's to help with a fundraiser or to assist with home repairs.
"They're really good people," she said.
To donate to the Jared Callan fundraiser, go to: https://www.gofundme.com/6783uqh8
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
