Conference brings together burn survivors in Dallas

For the first time, a Texas-based organization dedicated to supporting severe burn victims held its annual conference in Dallas.

In 2019, Justina Page founded Texas Burn Community Connect to make burn survivor conferences accessible to those who might not have the means or time to travel.

“My vision is to travel to different cities in Texas and host a one-day event,” Page said.

In 1999, Page, her husband, and their six sons were at their Houston home when a fast-moving fire swept through. Justina rushed to save her 22-month-old twin sons, but Amos didn’t survive. Justina and the other twin, Benjamin, were critically burned.

“I ended up in an eight-week coma and was given a zero percent chance of survival,” she recounted.

However, thanks to a vast network of support, Page slowly recovered.

In the aftermath of her tragedy, she founded the Amos House of Faith, a non-profit dedicated to serving those who have experienced burn trauma.

Five years ago, she held her first conference.

“A lot of times, people feel isolated. They think, ‘It’s only me.’ But connecting with others who’ve had similar experiences, learning how they got through it, and knowing that someone in the same city understands can be incredibly reassuring,” Page said.

On Saturday, at the Westin Dallas Park Central, survivors and caregivers gathered to hear from others who’ve walked similar paths, including Gina Russo.

“I’m a survivor of one of the fourth worst fires in the nation, the Station Nightclub Fire, where we lost 100 people, and over 200 were injured,” Russo shared.

Russo spent months in the hospital and later wrote a book about the fire as a form of therapy. She began speaking to groups on Saturdays.

“If something traumatic had to happen, I’m glad this was my trauma because these people save us. We save each other. I want to ensure that first-time attendees hear something that will propel them forward,” she said.

The conference also featured breakout sessions offering local resources and services, coping mechanisms like laughter yoga, free burn scar massages, and a Q&A session with the UT Southwestern/Parkland Burn Team.

More about Page’s story and resources can be found through the Amos House of Faith.