How I set my self on fire

Материал из campus.mephi.ru

The Man who set Himself On Fire, Volume One, is part of a series of eBooks to be rolled out by me, Donald W. Bogen, Jr. This book is about my life, incorporating my struggles growing up and graphic details about a gory gasoline fire in which I was in-volved in 2007.

As a community Organizer and an advocate for the youth, I want people to see why some kids and people turn out the way they do. As people, we often label others without knowing their stories. I am fully aware that a book that tells all could easily affect the way people view me, both positive and negative. However, after dedicating my adult life to righting my wrongs, I felt this was a story that had to be told.

I am one of many who have overcome homelessness, incarceration and physical disfigurement and I feel compelled to right my wrongs by inviting others to learn from my mistakes and try to understand why some make the decisions they do. This book will give you insight into my life and the mindset in which I made my decisions at that time. It will expose some of you to a world you probably never know existed right in your own community or neighborhood.

This is not a conventional book, since the writing style is selected to target those who have had similar struggles. Needless to say, however, this would be a great read for parents, school teachers, youth, youth pastors, policemen and other community leaders who want to better understand the youth of our time.

This first volume, �The Big Bang and The Beginning,� starts off with the details of the 2007 gas fire that has played a significant role in my life to this time. In this volume I describe my day to day routine and all the events which led up to that painful day.

This is obviously The Big Bang. The second half of Volume One is The Beginning. This takes my life from birth and demonstrates a sense of my family structure at the time I was growing up. It will also show how situations can affect a person?s decision-making abilities.

The Beginning is a perfect model of cause and effect. It shows both success and failure. Volume One shows my family at a time of extreme poverty and highlights my father?s and mother?s relentless will to provide.

The Man Who Set Himself on Fire is a metaphor of the 2007 fire, indicating and acknowledging that my circumstances and the decisions made by me caused my life to go up in flames. Please enjoy this great read in which I attempted to share my heart and soul to help others understand, those who are left in the shadows of society.

I remember seeing a real life mushroom cloud over the pile.

By this time I am in unbearable pain, I believed I dropped the gas can before I tried to running towards the front of the fence where Minister Frye stood. But I was still pinned up against the fence and through the fire I could see Minister Frye and some of the other men. I will never forget the look on their faces as I yelled, �Help me Minister Frye, put me out!� I remember the view of absolute horror, confusion, fear, and hopelessness in their eyes while their bodies stood temporarily froze from the shock of it all.

My mind was moving fast but God allowed the Holy Spirit to talk me through step by step and brought all things back to my mind. I started to roll on the ground but the flames didn�t go out. Somehow God allowed me take off my shirt and instructed me to roll in the ditch the opposite side of the fire. (Keep in mind this is happening in a matter of seconds), so I rolled in the ditch.

The ditch didn�t have any water just a slight layer of mud so I began to roll in the mud like a wild pig in a South Louisiana April storm. I began yelling out to the men to put mud on me. Finally Minister Frye jumped to my side as the flames disappeared and helped cover me in mud.

After the flames were put out and I was able to turn over I looked up and saw Brother Garner with a small pot of water in his hands. While in unearthly pain I laugh in my heart. The brothers stood around me in hysteria and disbelief as I laid in that ditch. At that time something came over me as I spoke these words, �Alright Brothers you know what to do. Go get the oil I need your prayers.� Before they began to pray Brother Garner brought the oil as I was pulling myself together to stand up. I walked towards Deacon Gage and told him to call 911 and my wife.

I glanced across the street and saw Mrs. Carla. I remembered that she was a nurse from a research meeting I had for work. So I walk across the road and ask her was there anything special I needed to and she told me help was on the way as she talk to the 911 operator through her tightly grip cell phone. I then walk back across the road. Things were moving so fast, confusion was everywhere.

With burnt flesh hanging from my face and body I called out commands to the men as is if I were a sergeant in the army. I yelled get my wallet, my Bluetooth and cell out the ditch. Deacon Gage who was also on the phone with 911 said, the operator wanted them to run water on me. So I told Deacon Carter where the hose pipe was and where to hook it up. I walk over to the hose pipe and grabbed it from Deacon Carter hands and began to pour water on my body. As the water flowed down my pain stricken body I heard a voice say �not too much water you could go in shock.� as I raised my head I saw the first responders, and the fire department. Seconds later the ambulance pulled up and then the police.

The police officers ask me what happen at the same time of the EMS workers did. God allowed me to keep me level headed and I answer some question for the police as the EMS workers loaded me up. Someone handed me my wallet and I showed the officers my driver license and off I went.

The sirens ripped through the air as the EMS worker started to run an IV to keep down infection. I ask him to give me something for pain. He told me that he had to call in before he could prescribe a dosage. I was able to hear them talking over the radio. Meanwhile the pain was so great, I just asked the lord to take my mind to a different place. It felt like I was still on fire. As if the flames were still eating at my skin.