Diane Vasquez was at her northeast home in 2011 when an undetected gas leak in the garage caused an explosion that sent flames through the vents of her home, destroying her house and changing her life forever.
Vasquez was rescued by a neighbor who heard the explosion and rushed in to save her.
“I never felt any pain. I went into shock when [the house] exploded. I just happened to be right in front of the vent in my bedroom,” Vasquez said.
Vasquez’s son and his girlfriend were also inside the home at the time of the fire. They were taken to William Beaumont Army Medical Center and University Medical Center of El Paso for treatment, all three suffered from smoke inhalation, as well as second or third-degree burns.
At the time, El Paso did not have a specialized burn program, which meant burn patients had to be stabilized at local hospitals before being airlifted to out-of-town hospitals for specialized care.
In Vasquez’s case, she was airlifted to a hospital in Lubbock where she said she underwent at least 23 surgeries and a long recovery away from home.
“During one of those surgeries, they had lost me once on [the operating] table,” she recalled. “They put me in hospice, and they told my children I could [die] at any minute, but three days later, I woke up, and I’ve been here since.”
Fourteen years later, Vasquez is still working on her recovery, but she can do so back in El Paso, with her family’s support.
Vasquez’s scars have healed, but she is still working to overcome many challenges that resulted from the fire, such as the loss of her limbs.
Making strides in her mobility, she has received rehabilitation at UMC’s Northeast Clinic with the help of UMC Occupational Therapist, Jesus Delgado.
The two recently traveled to Ohio where they met with a prosthetic provider to get Vasquez fitted for advanced myoelectric prosthetics.
“They taught me how to peel an apple, basic stuff,” Vasquez said. “They’re also making me a pair of golf clubs; golf has always been a passion of mine.”
Delgado said he has been inspired by Vasquez’s strength as she has learned to accomplish tasks with her prosthetics, such as cleaning and gardening.
“Being part of Diane’s journey has shown me the incredible resilience of the human spirit. Every step we take together, from therapy to learning how to use her prosthetics, is a victory over trauma and loss. It’s not just about physical healing; it’s about restoring independence and hope. That’s what makes this work so meaningful,” Delgado said.
After personally experiencing the struggles of having to leave the city for treatment, Vasquez is proud of the advancements being made in her community to bring burn care to the El Paso region.
In November 2024, El Paso voters approved UMC’s $346.6 million initiative to address urgent healthcare needs across the region. Of the total, $24.4 million is earmarked for the design, construction, and equipping of a burn center, which will feature two dedicated burn operating rooms and specially designed inpatient rooms with advanced temperature and infection control systems.
UMC’s new burn center will address a critical gap. UMC treats more than 100 burn patients yearly, many unable to transfer due to capacity limits at distant facilities. Currently, the closest specialized burn facility to El Paso is more than 300 miles away in Lubbock.
“Not everybody gets to be airlifted. It’s expensive. Having your family near helps you get better quicker. We all need that support,” Vasquez said.
Located alongside the region’s only Level I trauma center, UMC’s burn center will integrate seamlessly with existing emergency systems so that when accidents involve multiple injuries, patients can receive coordinated care under one roof instead of being treated at separate facilities.
Most recently, UMC and Tech announced the addition of a nationally acclaimed burn and trauma surgeon to lead the region’s first specialized burn center at UMC.
Philip E. Fidler, M.D., FACS. brings decades of clinical experience to his new role, having previously served as medical director at several leading burn centers, including the Andrew J. Panettieri Burn Center in Connecticut. He has held academic appointments at prestigious institutions, including Georgetown University School of Medicine and Yale School of Medicine, training the next generation of trauma and burn surgeons. Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Fidler founded the REACH Burn Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting burn survivors through adaptive sports, recovery resources and international medical missions.
