from: http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2007/10/18/4585337-sun.html

FIRE STUNT CALLED 'STUPID' Thu, October 18, 2007 By JOE BELANGER, SUN MEDIA GLENCOE -- David Schram thought he was invincible.

The 18-year-old Grade 13 Oakridge secondary student pulled on several layers of clothes, poured gasoline on himself and lit a match while a friend recorded it on a video camera.

That was 1 a.m., Nov. 27, 2002. Nearly five years later, the 23-year-old Fanshawe College graduate says he was lucky to survive.

"What was supposed to be funny changed my life forever," Schram told about 380 Glencoe District high school students yesterday.

"This is one of the stupidest stories you're ever going to hear. But if I can stop at least one person, I can handle you knowing the stupid things I've done."

"I was invincible, at least I thought I was," said Schram, who ignored his friend's concerns and suggestion they keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby.

Besides, he'd done a similar stunt before.

"I honestly did not think I'd get burned."

Schram suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body, including both legs, one arm and his chest when he set fire to himself outside his family's London home.

"It was the most intense heat and pain I've ever felt," Schram told the students, adding he suffered third-degree burns to 30 per cent of his body.

"I was in so much shock, I can't remember the pain."

Schram ran into the house and jumped into a laundry tub and turned on the water. His parents, Debbie and Bob, ran from their bedroom and his father suffered burns tearing the flame-covered clothing from his son's body.

Schram spent two months in the London Health Sciences Centre burn unit undergoing skin grafts and daily, agonizing bandage changes.

When Schram arrived at the hospital, a doctor sliced open his legs from hip to knee to relieve the pressure of swelling.

"My legs split open like hotdogs," he recalled.

Schram admitted the pain was so intense he sometimes wished he was dead.

"The morphine drip was my best friend," he said.

The strapping, handsome and gifted athlete who enjoyed hockey, football and soccer watched his weight drop to 120 pounds from 165.

He spent two months in hospital and another two months with a nurse visiting every day to care for his healing body.

And he wore a compression suit for two years to help his new skin develop.

Today, Schram works full-time and enjoys life with his family and girlfriend. Yesterday was his second presentation to high school students.

"When you do stupid things like that, everybody else suffers, too," he told the audience.

"It's not only embarrassing for yourself, but your whole family. And all our family's (Christmas) traditions and plans had to be put on hold. My mom almost lived at the hospital and my father could barely work. Rarely a day goes by when I don't think about it."

Schram's closing words were aimed squarely at the audience to "stop and think" before they play with fire, or pull other stunts.

"It only takes once to change your life forever, or the life of someone else," he said. "Now, I actually stop and think before I act."

Submitted on 10/18/2007

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: London Free Press, Oct 18/07

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Wow, how stupid do you have to be to pour gasoline all over yourself and not expect the outcome that occurred? This guy sure is lucky to be alive, and I'm glad he's speaking out. They should videotape him and show it before any of those "Jackass" shows. Thanks for sending this in!

James said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Well, all I can say is that maybe he DID learn something here! Wow....!

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