4-year-old girl severely burned by hot grease has special 'graduation' ceremony

Credit: WSBTV.com

Credit: WSBTV.com

Caliyah Ross went home Tuesday after spending weeks at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and staff held an extra-special ceremony for the 4-year-old before her discharge.

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Ross had been looking forward to her pre-K graduation ceremony. She had taken pictures in her cap and gown.

Then, she was burned in a house fire.

Ross suffered third-degree burns to her face and arms after her uncle was discarding a pan of hot fish grease.

It caught fire, and the flames tore into the 4-year-old.

“It was a fire, you know, it was a fire that happened,” said her mother Latoya Heyward.

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The pain was so intense doctors placed her in a medically induced coma. Then she began to get better.

“She just looked like she was in pain but some days I would go to the ICU and ask her if she was in pain and she would shake her head and say, ‘No,’” Heyward said.

After rigorous speech and physical therapy, WSB-TV's Tom Jones was there when Ross recovered enough to be discharged.

Her family said a higher power made it happen.

“She's been in here for about a month and he literally restored her back to health,” Heyward said.

Before she left on Tuesday, the hospital arranged a special graduation ceremony since Caliyah couldn't make her own.

>> Watch the clip here

A 4 year old girl burned in a fire was sad she would miss her Pre-K graduation ceremony. So Grady hospital gave her own special ceremony. The story is coming up on Channel 2 Action News, beginning at 4. WSB-TV

Posted by Tom Jones-WSB on Tuesday, May 15, 2018
 

The scars remain on her body.

Celebrity painter Antoine Donte painted a mural to remind Ross how beautiful she was and is. He included a scripture.

“It says, ‘For I will restore health to you and I will heal your wounds says the Lord,’” Heyward said.

Ross still has a long road to recovery.

She can't be out in the direct sunlight, so she will have to stay inside this summer.

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