Woman, burned as a baby, tracks down nurse who cared for her

A woman badly burned as a baby finally met the nurse who cared for her 38 years ago after learning her identity through Facebook. The burns happened when she was lying on the couch with a steam vaporizer on the floor beside the couch. The steam scalded her skin and melted a mentholated ointment, according to the Associated Press. She had to undergo several surgeries over the course of years and she was often shamed for her looks.

“Growing up as a child, disfigured by the burns, I was bullied and picked on, tormented”, said Scarpinati, 38. The pictures were published in Albany Medical Center’s 1977 annual report without names.

Scarpinati said she tried to find out who the woman was 20 years ago, but was unsuccessful. Earlier this month, Scarpinati was inspired to post the pictures to Facebook, though she doubted the post would help identify the nurse.

The picture went viral and within 24 hours, Scarpinati had her answer.

On Tuesday, Amanda Scarpinati, a 38-year-old woman who was affected by third-degree burns when she was only three months old, reunited with the nurse that lovingly cared for her, for the first time.

“I remember her”, Ms Berger told AP.

“It was fantastic. She just has such a gentle caring voice, just like I imagined she’d have”, says Scarpinati of her phone call with Berger. “She was very peaceful.

There was a picture of young and sweet nurse who was lovingly cradling a baby who had come in after being severely burnt. “She must have been in pain and she was so trusting and just a lovely baby”. “It was unbelievable”.

But Berger says she feels even more blessed.

She is now nearing the end of her career and works overseeing the health center at Cazenovia College in New York’s Finger Lakes region.

“Oh my God, youre real!

Scarpinati said it felt like the excitement of Christmas. She was just so cool and innocent.

The nurse said she feels just as thankful to get to meet the grown-up version of the adorable baby.

“Im over the moon to meet Sue…

“In a million years I would have never guessed this would grow to be as big as it is or that I would in fact be able to put a name to the face that I looked at for all these years”, Scarpinati wrote on Facebook.

“I remember her”, Berger said.

On Tuesday, she and that nurse were together again. When she was taunted on the playground or suffered through reconstructive surgeries, she found comfort thinking of the nurse who cared.

Today, when asked if their meeting was the start of a lifelong friendship, Scarpinati replied: ‘It already has been a lifelong friendship.