Through the Fire: How a Family’s Love and Dell Children’s Care Saved Ferrell Harper

Taylor Harper always knew her son Ferrell was special. A mom just knows. From the moment he was born, he was boundlessly curious. However, Taylor couldn’t have predicted how her family would be tested, and just how resilient her son would prove to be. “Ferrell is wildly curious, and it used to drive me crazy, and now it’s my favorite thing about him,” said Taylor, looking at her son, as she recounts the day that changed their family’s life forever. 

A Saturday Morning Like Any Other

It was an early October Saturday morning in their Tarrytown home when Ferrell, his twin brother Tommy, and a close family friend woke Taylor with an unusual request. They had discovered sparklers tucked away in a drawer and wanted to light them outside—despite it being just after sunrise. Knowing that childhood is made for moments like these—and these moments are fleeting—Taylor happily obliged. Moments later, she found herself in the backyard still in her robe, tracing her children’s names in the smoky morning air with sparklers, indulging their innocent excitement before her first cup of coffee.

Once the last sparkler burned out, Taylor carefully tucked the lighter in her pocket and extinguished the remaining sparklers, running them under water to ensure they were out. Tossing them in the trash, she went to make coffee—until Tommy came rushing in.

“Ferrell is on fire!” he screamed, running into the house from the backyard. 

Turning in horror, Taylor saw her son engulfed in flames from the waist up. Without thinking, she ran toward him, tore off her robe, and wrapped it around Ferrell, rolling him on the ground to extinguish the flames. Her quick thinking saved his life. “I just remember thinking ‘Stop, drop, and roll!’ I threw him to the ground, and we went rolling. We put out the fire,” recalled Taylor, her hand on her heart as if it were still racing. 

Ferrell’s father, T, rushed into action. He knew exactly where to go — Dell Children’s Medical Center where he found an emergency team was ready and waiting outside to take his son in. “I can’t believe how brave he was, how calm he was, even when we were rushing to the hospital at 110 miles per hour,” said T Harper. 

A Devastating Realization

Ferrell’s injuries were severe. What had started as an innocent morning with sparklers had escalated into a life-threatening ordeal. “We prayed for second-degree burns, but we were told it was third and fourth-degree. It was so much worse than we thought,” said Taylor.  

The young boy suffered third- and fourth-degree burns on his upper body, requiring immediate and extensive medical care. Over the coming weeks, Ferrell would endure multiple surgeries and a painful recovery process at Dell Children’s Hospital. “I remember just wanting to take his pain away. I would have taken his pain any day,” said Taylor. 

Despite the severity of his burns, Ferrell remained in good spirits and somehow knew exactly what his mom needed to hear. “Ferrell looked up at me and said, ‘Mom, don’t cry. We’ve got the best doctors here.’ When I heard that, I knew we were going to be okay because if your kid thinks you’ll be okay, then mom and dad can believe they’ll be okay,” said Taylor. 

An Unexpected Twist of Fate

At Dell Children’s, the Harper family found solace in the extraordinary care provided by the hospital staff. Ferrell was treated by Dr. Jeffrey Cone, a plastic surgeon specializing in burn treatment who guided him through multiple surgeries, including what would be a critical skin graft from his thigh to replace the skin on his chest and abdomen. 

During their son’s surgery, Taylor and T sat in the chapel at Dell Children’s and prayed. This graft would mean Ferrell would need to have his thighs repaired later. It felt like more than they could handle and then, Dr. Cone arrived, four hours later and with good news. 

“Dr. Cone came out after four hours of surgery and said, ‘I found a way to not need to do the grafting,'” said T. 

The family was stunned. Ferrell’s healing journey had taken a turn for the better after a fall morning had taken a turn for the worse. 

As he healed, the hospital staff went above and beyond to make Ferrell as comfortable as possible during his stay. From providing him with distractions like iPads and games to organizing visits from therapy dogs, Dell Children’s made the hospital feel a little less overwhelming. But it wasn’t just Ferrell who needed care—the staff also supported Taylor and T through their emotional turmoil, reassuring them when feelings of guilt and fear threatened to take over.

“We went from the most horrific experience to feeling cared for and supported in every possible way,” said T.  

A Grateful Family

Today, Ferrell is not only a testament to the exceptional care provided by Dell Children’s Medical Center but also a shining example of how a family’s love and strength can help overcome the toughest of challenges. The Harpers are deeply grateful for the hospital’s dedication and compassion. Ferrell’s experience has moved the family to give back, supporting Dell Children’s and helping other families facing similar hardships. 

When asked what he would tell another child confronting a similar situation, Ferrell’s words are straight from the heart, “I’ve been through this. You’ll be alright. You’re in the good hands of good doctors,” said Ferrell.