PHOENIX, Ariz- The 8-year-old girl who suffered burns over 65 percent of her body after a fire pit explosion last month is speaking and walking for the first time since she was injured.
Isabella McCune was eager to talk and tell 12 News about her progress.
“Just baby steps, but I got to walk,” Isabella said in a very brief interview her doctor allowed.
The Phoenix girl also hugged her mom, Lilly McCune, for the first time. Her doctor, Director of the Arizona Burn Center Kevin Foster, says she's coming along well in her recovery despite intense treatments.
“With a large percent total body surface area burn like this, you don’t have enough donor sites to cover all of the open areas in one operation, so she’s gonna require three or four operations to get her completely covered,” Foster said.
Isabella has been getting lots of support from family, friends and even strangers who stop by to drop off cards and stuffed animals. Her natural upbeat spirit plays a big part in her recovery, but Isabella’s medical staff says she gets really pumped with Taylor Swift music.
“I love Taylor Swift. I really enjoy the ‘are you ready for it?’ one,” Isabella said.
She wants to attend Swift’s concert in Glendale next month, but Foster says she will still be in the hospital.
Isabella is holding out hope that just maybe Swift comes to see her.
“I want it to happen. That would be nice, because I could see someone I’ve never met before. There’s so many people supporting me, so many people I haven’t met. So yeah, it would mean a lot if she came."