Supporters Offer Severely Burned Youth Blood, Love

Ventura County Firefighter Scott Hall studied the plastic tube running from his arm.

Around him, the student government room at Newbury Park High School on Wednesday was filled with more than a dozen students donating blood in honor of their severely burned classmate Michael Halsell. Hall and fellow Firefighter David Pumphrey helped save the youth’s life.

On March 11, Hall and Pumphrey brought Michael down from a 175-foot Edison tower along the Conejo Grade after a blast of electricity--as much as 220,000 volts--shot through Michael as he was practicing rappelling.

The two firefighters volunteered to give blood to show their continued support for the 17-year-old student.

“We bonded with Mike up on the tower, and we wanted to stay involved with him during the healing process,” Hall said. “It kind of helps, with the stress of the incident, to stay involved any way we can.”

On the day of the accident, Pumphrey cradled Michael in his arms as the rescue team jury-rigged lines and pulleys to wrest the two of them from a horizontal beam about 100 feet above the ground.

“We’re kind of connected to Mike now. He’s changed our lives by our being connected with that rescue,” Pumphrey said.

Michael remained in critical condition Wednesday at the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks Hospital. Since the accident, which left the high school senior with third-degree burns over 85% of his body, Michael has undergone two surgeries to remove dead tissue.

Doctors at the center hope to operate again next week, possibly Tuesday.

More than 80 students signed up to give blood Wednesday, enough to prompt organizers to schedule a second blood drive for March 30--which already has 30 people signed up. Fifty-five pints were collected Wednesday.

Newbury Park High senior Kelly Maurer, 17, organized the effort after learning that Michael needed blood. The high-voltage blast destroyed many of his blood cells, and since his arrival at the burn center, Michael has received transfusions amounting to dozens of pints of blood, according to center spokesman Larry Weinberg.

Many of Michael’s friends had volunteered to donate blood at the burn center, so Kelly decided to create a full blood drive at the school.

“Instead of having 50 teenagers on the road, we decided to do it here,” she said.

Blood collected at the school, however, will not go directly to Michael. Christine Fleming, community relations director for the United Blood Service in Ventura, said the blood will go to local blood banks and would be used by Michael only if the burn center requests it.

That did not deter Lisa Jorden, 18, who helped organize the drive. “If I can’t help him, I’ve helped someone else,” she said, waiting to make her contribution.

Lisa has known Michael for more than a year. Like many of his friends, she has visited the burn center almost every day since the accident, hoping to provide support to her friend’s family. Michael’s determination, she said, was helping him survive.

“He’s a fighter. He’s very stubborn, but that’s good.”

Marisa Williams, 18, has also visited the hospital and spoken to Michael. He was on a respirator at the time and unable to respond. On Wednesday, doctors removed Michael from the breathing machine.

“We can relay a lot of messages, and he can hear what we’re saying,” she said. “We just tell him how everyone’s supporting him here.”

Marisa described Michael as very open to others, always willing to sit and talk. Michael likes hanging out with friends around Newbury Park or taking day trips to places like Pismo Beach, she said.

Marisa then popped the lens cover off a video recorder and focused on Hall and Pumphrey, still seated and giving blood. She was making the tape to show to Michael later, she said.

“Mike, here’s a picture of the officers who helped you out,” she said as she started filming around the room, still filled with people. “You’re just a pretty popular stud, Mike.”