On Dec. 16, 2023, Kevin was working on tearing down a small wood bridge on his 80-acre property near Houston in Shelby County when a can of paint thinner in his hands exploded, soaking his body in paint thinner that continued to burn.

In describing the ordeal and the subsequent months-long hospital stay a year later at their home in Fort Loramie, the Pleimans said they didn’t think it would be possible for them to reach this point in Kevin’s healing journey today to where he’s back at work at his construction business, Rapid Development.

A year ago, they weren’t even sure if they would get to see future Christmases together.

“I’m just tickled to death that we get to celebrate another Christmas,” Kevin said.

The accident put things into perspective, Shelly said.

“My hearts go out to the families that are walking through the same shoes that we were in last year because it’s tough, and I think we’re going to enjoy our family time this year and just pray for those families that were in our situation,” Shelly said. “We just know how miraculous prayer can be.”

A loud boom

During the accident, Kevin was alone when he attempted to throw paint thinner on a small pile of lumber to accelerate a small flame. The container of paint think suddenly exploded and create a loud boom that could be heard nearly a mile away.

The flames quickly consumed his clothing and destroyed his cell phone so he couldn’t call someone. The only other person on the property was Kevin’s nephew, who was deer hunting, but he didn’t know Kevin was also on the property. Kevin was on the opposite side of the 80-acre property.

“I was probably on fire two to three minutes,” Kevin said. After his clothes caught fire, he tried to pull off the clothing, including two layers of coats. He wasn’t able to unbuckle his belt, though, because his hands were on fire.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

“I jumped off the bridge and onto the ground,” Kevin said. He rolled on the ground for about 20 seconds trying to put the fire out, but he was unsuccessful, possibly due to the dryness of the brush around him.

For the few minutes he was on fire, it seemed like an eternity and it was frightening, he said.

“After about 20 seconds, I realized this is the end,” Kevin said. “This life is over, basically. I can’t get this out, and this is how I’m going to die.”

Kevin wanted to make it back to his family, though, even if he didn’t make it back alive.

“In my mind, I was thinking, ‘Where can I lie down where people would be able to find me?’” Kevin said.

Kevin couldn’t stop and lie down, though, with the fire still burning and causing him pain. He tried walking toward their pond on the property, which was about 100 yards away through a wooded area. He made it about 15 yards before collapsing.

Kevin then began digging with his hands in a creek bed until he reached water under ground, using that to put out the fire.

Next came the challenge of finding help. With about 70% of his body covered in severe burns, Kevin was not able to move much, so he began yelling for his nephew, Levi Gephart.

“He’s my hero,” Kevin said.

Gephart had heard the explosion, Kevin said, so he was already coming to see what had happened when he found Kevin.

“I don’t know what I would have done if it wasn’t for him out there,” Kevin said.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Gephart was able to make it to Kevin and call for help. Houston Rescue and later CareFlight responded, with the latter transporting Kevin to Miami Valley Hospital’s Level I Trauma and Burn Center.

Once at Miami Valley Hospital, Kevin thought he would only have to be in the hospital a few days, but that turned into more than 90 days with at least a couple weeks where Kevin was on a ventilator.

“The nurses and the doctors are so good at what they do, because they not only took care of Kevin, but they took care of our entire family over the holidays,” Shelly said.

“They made sure we were eating, and we felt so comfortable telling them our fears and how scared we were, and they just always knew how to say the right things,” she said.

The scare they experienced on Christmas last year happened when Kevin’s platelets started to plummet, Shelly said. Unknown to Kevin, he had a rare allergy to one of the medications being used in his treatment. Once doctors figured it out, they were able to stabilize him.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

There were multiple ups and downs over the next three months, Shelly said.

“You have a couple days where you’re recovering from a surgery, and then you have to go right back into have another surgery,” Shelly said.

For those 98 days in the hospital, Kevin’s team of doctors and nurses helped him get to a point where he could walk again.

When doctors told Kevin’s family what the odds of him surviving were, Kevin and Shelly’s five children, all sons, were adamant that Kevin would make it.

The boys would tell the doctors, “If anybody can do this, it’s going to be our dad,” Shelly said. They would say, “He’s the strongest guy we know.”

Kevin lived up to those words, too, when he eventually walked out of the ICU.

A year later, Kevin is still progressing in his healing journey, but he is able to walk and is back to work. On days when he might be frustrated his progress isn’t happening fast enough, the family has a book they made with pictures from his time in the hospital to show how far Kevin has already made it.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

“It has been a journey this whole year, but he’s come so far,” Shelly said.

Having survived what they went through last year, the holidays are even more meaningful to the Pleimans this year, Shelly said.

“It’s just a different feeling, because you look back at where you were a year ago, and we just cherish the blessings that were given to us this whole entire year,” Shelly said.

Kevin and Shelly’s youngest son, Quinton, 9, also had a different letter to Santa this year.

“Dear St. Nicholas, you can give me anything. You gave me my dad back. That’s all I need.”

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey