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Scott shows his fighting spirit after gas explosion

Lismore man and father-of-three Scott Jones, who is recovering in Royal Brisbane Hospital after a gas explosion.
Lismore man and father-of-three Scott Jones, who is recovering in Royal Brisbane Hospital after a gas explosion.
Rebecca Lollback
by

IT'S been a week of small milestones for gas explosion victim Scott Jones.

The Lismore dad is in the burns unit at the Royal Brisbane Hospital where it is expected he will today have more surgery and skin grafts on his legs.

But, all going well, it could be the last lot of skin grafts for Mr Jones, who suffered burns to more than 45 per cent of his body during the explosion at the Lismore Turf Club on November 23.

It has been almost a month since the accident and wife Liz Jones said it had been a continual rollercoaster.

This week they've had a visit from celebrity chef Matt Golinski, who was critically burned in a house fire on Boxing Day 2011 which killed his wife and three children.

"It was good for Scott to talk to him," Mrs Jones said.

"He likes talking to people who have survived burns, because everyone has such different experiences."

For the first time this week, Mr Jones was able to leave the hospital and his family took him out for a bite to eat at burger joint Grill'd.

"He bloody loved it," Mrs Jones said.

"The kids loved having him out of hospital and in the car with us.

"It was his first bit of non hospital food - he got his feeding tube out on Friday last week because they want him to build up his eating skills."

Mrs Jones also said her husband was looking "more normal" and said they felt "very lucky that his face hasn't been disfigured".

"There is just a lot of boredom and loneliness for Scott, and he really misses the kids," she said.

"He always says to me, 'you always make things sound so rosy on Facebook, but it hurts all the bloody time'.

"And I know it does. But there's so much we can't control and we just have to stay in a positive frame of mind as much as we can."

Every day the 35-year-old embarks on an intense rehabilitation routine, which involves lifting weights in the hospital gym and working with a physiotherapist.

"It's motivating for him to actually get out of his hospital room and do something," Mrs Jones said.

"At the moment he can still only lift 2.5kg with the deadlift, which we all think is hilarious."

There is an issue with a blind spot in his vision but that may heal up and they will know more after an MRI today.

Leading up to Christmas, the family will be staying in a caravan park near the hospital so they can spend as much time as possible together.

Mrs Jones said the ongoing support from the community to the GoFundMe account had helped ease financial pressures. So far it has raised $37,000.

As time goes on, it is likely the couple will get an apartment in Brisbane so Mr Jones can continue with his rehabilitation schedule once he is released from the burns unit.

But Lismore will stay in their hearts and they plan to spend as much time as possible at their Northern Rivers home.

To donate to the Jones family, visit the GoFundMe page, or donations can be made directly into a fundraising account at the St George Bank under the account name "Elizabeth Jones".

IT'S been a week of small milestones for gas explosion victim Scott Jones.

The Lismore dad is in the burns unit at the Royal Brisbane Hospital where it is expected he will today have more surgery and skin grafts on his legs.

But, all going well, it could be the last lot of skin grafts for Mr Jones, who suffered burns to more than 45 per cent of his body during the explosion at the Lismore Turf Club on November 23.

It has been almost a month since the accident and wife Liz Jones said it had been a continual rollercoaster.

This week they've had a visit from celebrity chef Matt Golinski, who was critically burned in a house fire on Boxing Day 2011 which killed his wife and three children.

"It was good for Scott to talk to him," Mrs Jones said.

"He likes talking to people who have survived burns, because everyone has such different experiences."

For the first time this week, Mr Jones was able to leave the hospital and his family took him out for a bite to eat at burger joint Grill'd.

"He bloody loved it," Mrs Jones said.

"The kids loved having him out of hospital and in the car with us.

"It was his first bit of non hospital food - he got his feeding tube out on Friday last week because they want him to build up his eating skills."

Mrs Jones also said her husband was looking "more normal" and said they felt "very lucky that his face hasn't been disfigured".

"There is just a lot of boredom and loneliness for Scott, and he really misses the kids," she said.

"He always says to me, 'you always make things sound so rosy on Facebook, but it hurts all the bloody time'.

"And I know it does. But there's so much we can't control and we just have to stay in a positive frame of mind as much as we can."

Every day the 35-year-old embarks on an intense rehabilitation routine, which involves lifting weights in the hospital gym and working with a physiotherapist.

"It's motivating for him to actually get out of his hospital room and do something," Mrs Jones said.

"At the moment he can still only lift 2.5kg with the deadlift, which we all think is hilarious."

There is an issue with a blind spot in his vision but that may heal up and they will know more after an MRI today.

Leading up to Christmas, the family will be staying in a caravan park near the hospital so they can spend as much time as possible together.

Mrs Jones said the ongoing support from the community to the GoFundMe account had helped ease financial pressures. So far it has raised $37,000.

As time goes on, it is likely the couple will get an apartment in Brisbane so Mr Jones can continue with his rehabilitation schedule once he is released from the burns unit.

But Lismore will stay in their hearts and they plan to spend as much time as possible at their Northern Rivers home.

To donate to the Jones family, visit the GoFundMe page, or donations can be made directly into a fundraising account at the St George Bank under the account name "Elizabeth Jones".

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