HONOLULU (KHON2) — An Oahu mother seriously injured in a fireworks explosion on New Year’s Day is finally home after spending four months in the hospital recovering from life-threatening burns.
Charmaine Benigno was discharged from Straub Medical Center this week, receiving an emotional send-off from hospital staff. The mother of two suffered burns to more than 80% of her body and was the last burn patient still hospitalized following the explosion in the Aliamanu neighborhood.
“Oh my God, hi, thank you guys so much,” Benigno said, clapping as she was greeted by the medical team. “I will never forget you guys. It’s been so hard, but you made it worth it.”
Benigno was among more than 20 people injured in the Jan. 1 explosion. Doctors said she sustained the most severe burns of any survivor.
“Initially, we had to get the burned skin off — about 80% of her body,” said Dr. David Cho, a surgeon at Straub Benioff Medical Center. “We haven’t actually reconstructed anything yet. We’re coming back every few weeks to do the skin grafts. So, we’re slowly fixing and building step by step, but it doesn’t happen all at once.”
Cho said knowing Benigno was a mother helped inspire the medical team throughout her recovery.
“We all knew she had little kids to get home to,” he said. “That made it special.”
The New Year’s explosion triggered the largest surge of patients Straub Medical Center has seen in its 42-year history. Despite multiple arrests, no one has been charged in connection with the blast.