Devin Stinsman is no angel. He is 4’8′ and lanky like a string bean. He has dirty blonde hair and curious brown eyes. He always has a “devilish look” in those eyes, his mother, Dee Stinsman, says.
Devin is only nine and loves motorcycles and video games. He’s kind of a speed junkie. On more than one occasion, his parents have dubbed him with the title of “Satan’s seed.”
Devin has always been an active child. He is warm and friendly, and he cannot be calmed down. He is constantly asked to not touch things. He usually touches them anyway.
But Devin does not have a malicious bone in his body. He likes mostly everything and dislikes barely anything. The thing he hates the most is “fire.”
One day, Devin was in his parents’ full service and repair Motorcycle shop, Chaos Cycle. It was the end of this past January, and he was sitting next to a 200-square-foot heater.
Devin had been coming to the shop since he was five.
But on this cold day, the space heater sparked. Within seconds, Devin’s entire right leg was engulfed in flames.
“You can’t image what that was like,” Dee said. She was there when it happened. “It was total shock.”
Upon putting out the flames, the Stinsman family hurried Devin to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. That was the closest hospital. They took Devin right away but “didn’t have much expertise” according to Dee. He was then transported to Stony Brook University Medical Center’s Burn Center, where it was announced that Devin had suffered from third degree burns down to his muscle, as well as vascular damage.
Devin stayed at the Burn Center for about a month, while he recuperated. It will take him at least a year to fully recover from the burns.
“He’s young, so it will heal better,” Dee said.
But for Devin’s mother, father and 17-year-old sister, the trauma of the experience may last forever.
According to the press release issued by Stony Brook University Medical Center, this Burn Center is the facility of choice for the more than 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County. It coordinates burn services throughout the county and allows for research in burn care.
How was Devin’s experience?
He felt as any restless, energetic 9-year-old in need of much bed rest would feel: bored.
So, he asked his mom for the one thing that could make it a little bit better – the company of his beloved Xbox 360.
Dee had no problem agreeing. The very next day, she brought Devin’s Xbox 360 from home to the children’s room of the Burn Center.
“If not for his game console, he would’ve been going out of his mind,” Dee said. “There wasn’t much of an outlet for him.”
The Xbox 360 quickly fit in with the portable plasma TV and video games that were donated by the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center Fund.
During this time, Devin’s school district did a fundraiser for the Stinsman family. It received donations of $400 from the children at his school.
Deciding what to do with the money was a no-brainer. As soon as he was released from the Burn Center, Devin and his mom headed over to their local Wal-Mart and purchased a brand new Xbox 360.
They brought it directly to the Burn Center. Devin donated the video game console so that the kids at the unit can have a fun and diverting activity to help them through their recovery. The date was March 7. It was also Devin’s 10th birthday.
“We wanted to give back,” Dee said.
She also said that the purchase of the game was a “collective decision” between her and Devin.
On Saturday, May 7, the Stinsman family will be hosting a fundraiser. All proceeds will go to the Stony Brook Hospital Burn Center; they are hoping to raise $10,000.
The family is excited to hold Long Island’s Biggest Motorcycle and Hot Rod Festival. They are excited to enjoy the bike show, and are excited hear a plethora of rock bands. But more than that, the Stinsman family is excited to give back to the unit that helped save their son.
