Electrician wakes from coma weeks after suffering third-degree burns when he touched a power line
The 33-year-old father suffered third-degree burns across half of his body and was placed into a medically-induced coma
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Your support makes all the difference.An electrician has finally woken from a coma weeks after he suffered third-degree burns when he accidentally touched a power line.
Mike Papagno was working on moving an 18-foot-tall and 136-foot-long cold storage box from Portsmouth to southern New Hampshire in Greenland, New Hampshire, on November 12, when he accidentally came into contact with a power line, reported WMUR9.
The 33-year-old father suffered third-degree burns across half of his body and was placed into a medically-induced coma at a Boston hospital, his family said on a GoFundMe page.
“It’s the most terrible news a father or parent can receive,” his father, Michael Papagno, told WMUR9 about that day.
“Talking about my son and whether he would live or die. It’s the most visceral reaction you can ever imagine.”
But now, weeks later, Papagno has finally woken from his coma, his partner announced.
“Michael has been off the vent for 8 days now. He’s still coming off all the heavy meds and is becoming more coherent and stronger as the days go on,” Andrea Papagno, his partner and mom of the couple’s 9-month-old daughter, said on Facebook.
“He’s in great spirits and cracking jokes to anyone who comes into his room. He is definitely getting back to himself.”
Papagno has been “off the vent” for 13 days and is expected to remain in the intensive care unit until January, the GoFundMe said.
He received his sixth skin graft treatment on Monday, marking his seventh surgical operation – which the family hopes will be his last.
The GoFundMe page has raised almost $200,000 to help with his recovery.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is now looking into any possible violations of workplace safety standards which may have led to the accident, a spokesperson told WMUR9.
The Independent has contacted OSHA for further comment.
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