Jaun Henning and his sister fell asleep in front of the television on Friday evening, 20 July 2001. Their parents covered them with blankets on the couch and went to bed. In the early hours of 21 July 2001, an electrical short in a plug in the TV room, started the fire, razing the house to the ground.
Jannie Henning, the diabetic father, managed to get the family out of the house, but his daughter died after ten days in the intensive care unit. The family claim that they were charged double the cost for the helicopter for both children. Jaun was left covered with 3rd degree burns. He had fifty reconstructive operations to repair the extensive damage to his body, including to his lungs and voicebox.
For months Jaun had to have oxygen administered every ten minutes to ensure that he could breathe. His medical costs over a year were more than 1.7 million SA rands. His mother has medical aid but said it did not cover all bills nor his monthly needs which she put at R2000.
The family's home was insured through their bond (mortgage) and so it was rebuilt, but the household contents were not insured. They have considered taking legal action for compensation as there seems some doubt over electrical compliance at the time of purchase; a fact that the bond provider allegedly should have been aware of.
Another child that the charity has assisted, called Samkelo, is taking power parastatal Eskom to court for R12 million in 2002/2003. His case is based not on his kite touching the powerlines (the electrical surge then amputating his hands), but in the company having an obligation to educate the general public about the dangers of electricity, and allegedly failing to do so. The website will carry an update on the case once it is settled.
Family circumstances
Jaun's family is substantially better off than most that the charity seeks to assist, as they have a proper house, a car, good-sized garden and two dogs.
One of the dogs, Jockey, was provided by Children of Fire through its link with TV actress Nathalie Bollt. Nathalie plays "Joey" in the soapie Isidingo and her mother runs an animal sanctuary in Hartebeesportdam called HAWS. The family wanted a younger dog to accompany their existing more-elderly pet and it is hoped that the dog is also therapeutic for Jaun.
Children of Fire Trust is also administering some R6000 raised through public donations to the Felicia on E television show, for Jaun. Hannelie has asked for the money for petrol and related costs and by early January 2003 had drawn R1800 from the fund. In addition to this, the charity passed on R500 in Edgars clothing vouchers for Jaun from chat show host Felicia Mabuza Suttle.
The family have used the media to appeal separately to Jaun's personal account and, according to the Saturday Star newspaper, have garnered R80,000 from the Gold Reef City entertainment centre to go towards medical prosthesis for Jaun's hands. A ground-breaking operation is said to be taking place in March 2003 in Cape Town to give him working digits on one hand within two weeks, but the exact procedure that is intended is not yet known to the charity.
Instead of the expensive see-through dressings typically used for burns wounds, when Jaun is not undergoing treatment with leading reconstructive surgeon Gavin De Aguiar in Johannesburg's Milpark Hospital, his mother said that she used see-through food wrap instead. She says that it works comparatively well.
Children of Fire however gave Jaun some specialised dressings and also arranged a meeting with Smith and Nephew, a company that makes many burn-and skin graft-appropriate dressings, to ensure some pro bono out of hospital support as well.
Children of Fire volunteers try to give support and the charity lent Hannelie, Jaun's mother, the book David (see Help Needed section of website) to help her through the emotional turmoil of nursing her son. We have also given Jaun small items like clothing, toys, clothing, games and sweets.
At an event held in June 2002 to raise awareness of Children of Fire, Magdalena Wysoczanska (better known as Fire the SA television "Gladiator") auctioned an airbrushed photo of herself with Jaun (bought by her then boyfriend) and pledged to give the family R4000 from the proceeds. While the cash was allegedly given to a Ms Potgieter, neither Children of Fire nor the Henning family have been able to recover the money. The assistance of a pro Deo lawyer would be very helpful.
Jaun in the meantime, continues to be a cheerful boy who does quite well at school. His tracheo is still open, which makes speech difficult, but he is hopeful that it will be closed within 2003. He mixes well with other children and enjoys playing pool.