Mexican Firefighter Leaves Burn Center

A 24-year-old firefighter from Mexico left Sherman Oaks Hospital’s Grossman Burn Center on Friday, about a month after Southern California firefighters raised money to bring him here for treatment, a hospital spokesman said.

Doctors, patients and firefighters cut a farewell cake for Mario Cota, who arrived at the hospital Jan. 3 with second- and third-degree burns over 45% of his body. He suffered burns to his face, hands, arms, buttocks and back during a propane gas explosion in Mexicali.

“He surprised us a little bit at how quickly he healed,” said Dr. Peter Grossman, who treated Cota.

Grossman said Cota underwent three operations to graft skin from a laboratory as well as his own body onto the burned areas. At the time of his discharge, Cota had almost complete function of his arms and fingers--the most badly burned parts--and minimal facial scarring.

“Burns are progressive and dynamic in their nature,” Grossman cautioned. “A person can look fine when they leave the hospital and as they go on scars can grow and grow and become more limiting.”

Despite the ordeal and the extensive physical therapy to come, Cota is “in great spirits,” Grossman said. “He’s a very amicable person.”