Badly burned Ugandan 11-year-old walks for first time in 4 years

Adolf Baguma was 7 when his aunt burned him with hot banana leaves because he tried to take food. His legs healed at 90 degree angles, preventing him from walking upright. / KCBS/Children's Burn Foundation

Eleven-year-old Adolf Baguma walked for the first time in four years on Christmas thanks to the help of an international aid organization, CBS Los Angeles reports.

Baguma lived in Uganda when, at age 7, his 14-year-old aunt badly burned his legs with a banana leaf as punishment for trying to take food. His legs healed at a 90 degree angle because the burns were never treated properly, forcing him to crawl on all fours to get around.

Children's Burn Foundation, a non-profit, learned of the boy's case through a Los Angeles-area attorney Laine Wagonseller, who had met him at an orphanage, and flew him to Los Angeles in November and paid for reconstructive surgery, CBS station KCBS in Los Angeles reported at the time.

Dr. Peter Grossman performed two surgeries on both of the boy's legs at the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills, Calif.

• Burned Ugandan child will walk again thanks to foundation

"The problem we faced in surgery was not just the skin, but the shrinkage, or the contraction, of the muscle. That was the most challenging part for us. To be able to get the muscle to its normal length," Grossman told CBS Los Angeles.

Once they straightened the legs, they had to cover the wounds using a large portion of skin from his abdomen.

The boy faces weeks of rehab but is showing improvement each day and is confident he'll ride a bike in weeks.

"I'm happy! For walking," he said.

CBS Los Angeles has more on the story:

[Tobi86]

You are also a real piece of cake. Go take a nap and hopefully you will wake up thinking like a real human being. You are a pathetic soul.

[Butterfly820]

I'm just happy god has given the knowlege and strength in Doctors to help and save lives no matter the person or where the person is from. God bless the Doctors and I hope this young boy an live a health productive life.

[Tobi86]

Amen

[labebequia]

what is wrong with you this act of love will do more for americans forent polcy insted of guns peaplo around the world don't see us caring for others ;lets do this every day es cheap compering to the millons forent aidd give to corrup goberments this child will be our good will ambasador

[lizzielawton]

Wow. You really have a heart of gold. I can't imagine anyone objecting to a non-profit paying for a burned orphan to get an operation that would allow him to walk again. It's not "our" money. It's money that kind and generous people have donated to help people in need. If you don't approve of what they do with their money, then don't donate your money to them. Geez.

[micmac666]

Lizzie,
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